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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Profes, v. Also: prof(f)ess(e. P.t. and p.p. prof(f)es(s)it, -id, -ed; profest; profeist. [Late ME and e.m.E. profess(e to receive someone's religious profession (c1430), to make one's religious profession (c1510), in various following senses (1526, 1530, 1560), f. L. profess- p.p. stem of profitērī to declare publicly, confess openly, acknowledge, avow; also, to promise; also to be a teacher or professor; also, in med. L., to make monastic profession, OProv. professer (c1400 in Wartburg), MF (1584 in Wartburg), and cf. the earlier ME professed, profes p.p. (Professit p.p.) and professiun etc. (Professio(u)n n.).]

1. tr. a. To bind or commit (oneself) to do something. b. To commit or dedicate (oneself or another) in some specified capacity. 1463 Newburgh B. Ct. 11b.
Ihon Anderson … professit hym til fulfyl that his writ purportit a1500 Colk. Sow Proh. 40.
And quho will nocht … go profes him a mertere 1513 Doug. xi xi 55.
I, fader, heir professys servand to thé Thys tendir ȝonglyng

2. To dedicate oneself to, take the vows of, profess (a monastic rule or dedicated mode of life). a1538 Abell 82b.
Inchaffra quhar in wmquhill I professit that reow [sic in transcr.] or I wes a brothir of Sanct Francis obseruance Ib. 113a.
This ȝere I professit the reull of Sanct Aug. in Inchaufra 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2625 (Ch.).
Freiris … , Haifing profest sic povertie Ib. 2627.
Quhat gif thay povertie wald professe And do as did Diogenes Ib. 2637.
Profes [: cummerles] 1562-3 Winȝet I 112/15.
Gif ȝe astrictit nocht ȝour selfis afoir God to that thing [sc. chastity] quhilk mony ways ȝe professit afoir man? 1596 Dalr. I 234/7.
Following the alde consuetude quhilke he first had professid, he repugned S. Augustine vehementlie in sum ceremonies

3. To affirm or declare openly one's faith in or allegiance to, to acknowledge or formally and publicly recognize (a faith, doctrine, object of faith, esp. Jesus Christ). Also absol.(1) 1560 Conf. Faith in 14.. Acts II 526/2.
With the inhabitantis … professing Christ Jesus his holy evangell Ib.
This breve … confessioun of sic doctrine … as we beleife and profes 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 150/28.
The mes hes beyn evir approvin and vsit … be all natiouns professand the fayth of Iesus Christ 1562-3 Winȝet I 70/2.
To all professing the Scripturis of God Ib. II 8/7. 1563 Reg. Privy C. I 236.
Inemyis … to the religioun than professit be the Prince of Condy 1558-66 Knox I 62. 1567 Acts III 38/1.
Sik as profesis the puritie of religioun with ws 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 535.
The faythfull Kirk of Jesus Cryst, professit within this realme c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii 5.
For mony dois Godis worde profes, Bot for to keip it, few takis cure a1578 Pitsc. II 55/1.
To lat murdres thame for the preiching of Christis evangell, considering that ȝe haue profest the same Ib. 153/30.
And all tham that professis the reliegieoun Ib. 115/19.
Professit Ib. I 348/9. 1586 Cal. Sc. P. IX 24.
It is well knawn … quhat relligioun I have professed since my tender yeiris 1596 Dalr. II 451/14.
Proffesit [L. profitebantur] c1610 Jok Uplandis Newis fol. 2b.
And the placing of the religion now profeist is all weill(2) 1560 Conf. Faith in 14.. Acts II 534/2.
Bot sic as continew … bauldlie professing the Lord Jesus 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 157/4.
In all places professand Iesus Christ 1562-3 Winȝet II 39/14.
Lest professing twa sones it mot be iugeit to worschip a Quaternitie Ib. I 27/8. 1558-66 Knox I 275. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 472.
When so many are afraid to profess Him … for fear they suffer loss by avouching Him 1639 Fugitive Poetry II xvii 3/83.
I was most truly both profest and preacht And to the people most sincerely teacht(3) absol. 1655 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 128.
Who shall without disturbance practice or profess with sobrietie according to thair light Ib. 129.

4. To declare one's allegiance or submission to or support of (an authority, public or private service or a party). 1571 Bann. Memor. 160.
It … being notorlie knowin … in what maner he hes behalfed him self … to thame whose service he did profes 1572–3 Ib. 308.
That all persones professing his hienes obedience, … sall be possessit to thair houssis [etc.] 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 305.
Quha hes profest in all tymes past and as yit professis oure soverane lordis authoritie a1578 Pitsc. I 95/23.
They brunt … all wther landis belangand … to theme that wald nocht profes thair factioun

5. To declare as a principle or purpose. 1584 Melvill 214.
Apostasie and mensuaring of that quhilk the mouthe hes professit and publictlie spoken and teatched 1586 Cal. Sc. P. IX 24.
I have never meinnit inuartlie bot that quhilk I have professed outwartlie quhilk is that [etc.] a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 78.
All the inhabitants of Edinburgh that profest inimitie to the queyne c1627 Bk. Carlaverock II 109.
For yeur pains to returne the best expression of what I have heertofore professed 1651 Strathbogie Presb. 188.
And his willingnes to [etc.] … quhilk he did proffesse both befor them and his owne congregatioune

6. To affirm or declare (that one is something or that one will do something). Variously const. a. With the imputation that the claim is dubious or false: To claim, make out, pretend. (Common in Compl.)(1) 1549 Compl. 31/9.
Ande nocht to be kepit be vs that professis vs to be Cristin men Ib. 88/34.
He professit hym self to be neutral, bot ȝit he furnest the empriour vitht sex thousand fut men Ib. 155/9.
Ȝe professe ȝou to be gentil men bot ȝour verkis testifeis that ȝe ar bot inciuile vilainis Ib. 124/34, etc. 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I 96. — 1580 J. Hay in Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 34/3.
That the ministers head nocht ane so asswrede groond of there doctrene as thay profes thame selfwes to hawe(2) 1549 Compl. 129/17.
Of the vanete of my tua brethir that ascribis and professis them gentil men 1586 Cal. Sc. P. IX 24.
Insuafar as I professed my self outwartlie ane friend to hir majestie of Ingland and that as he allegis the contrairy thairoff 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 248.
He profest him self very willing to do all his indevouris in his majesties service bot [etc.](3) 1549 Compl. 73/18.
In ȝou that professis to be natural men Ib. 149/27.(4) 1549 Compl. 46/1.
Ȝit nochtheles al the sciencis and knaulage that thai ascribe and proffessis to be dotit in them, hes fyrst procedit fra our faculte

b. To avow, own, acknowledge; to confess, admit.(1) 1562-3 Winȝet I 62/20.
For as a theologe I profes me to be nane 1638 D. Dickson in Sel. Biog. II 24.
Our doctrine … garres him either come to a note or professe himselfe to be hypocrite ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III 53.
[He] is knowne and hath professed to be the author, at least avower and mantainer, of a greate pairte therof(2) c1590 Fowler ii 28/13.
He professis him selfe a deadly ennemie to al them that steadfastly mainteanis the cause of God 1601 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 181.
And in respect he cumis nather to conference nor [etc.] … bot professis him selff ane Catholick Romane 1629 Kirkcaldy Presb. 45.
In so farr as he … has kythit and professit himself partie … in the caus(3) 1596 Dalr. I 134/27.
Quhair he first publiklie professis that he wil renunce al gouerneng … to gyue place to the lawful ȝouth a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1677) 124.
Some openly professing that they would not fight against their friends and countrymen for the pleasure of strangers 1644 Aberd. Council Lett. II 380.
To mainteine the same quhilkis your lordship professeth yow ar doing 1651 Strathbogie Presb. 185.
I doe professe ingenuouslie I wes not so weill satisfied therwith till of lait 1655 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 127.
Whairas Mr. Andro Cant … hes profest and constantlie does profes that he does adheer to the presbyterian way

c. With simple (and non-material) obj.: To pretend to possess, lay claim to, make out to have; to own or admit to possessing or feeling; also, to claim skill or knowledge of, to claim the right to practise. 1549 Compl. 148/11.
Or ellis ȝe merit to be degradit … fra the gentreis that ȝe professe 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 22.
Mony emperikis & methodikes … of quhome the first professis onlie experience without reasone … the othir reasone without experience a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxxix 7.
The stedfast faythe that freindis profes Is fled frome thame and seindle vsit 1585 James VI Ess. 55.
That they are figures of rhetorique and dialectique, quhilkis airtis I professe nocht 1614 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 171.
I professed eiuer ignorance in all Irische Cabale 1623 Reg. Privy C. XIII 367.
Minassing all suche personis aganis whome thay profes evill will a1650 Row 73.
The Kings Confession … is much esteemed of in all other Christian kirks professing sinceritie 1683 Dundee B. Laws 554.
Yet nevertheless one John Duncan … a persone most ignorant and vnseen in the said airt and calling … most impudentlie professes and exercises the said litster trade

d. To profes one's name, appar. after L. nomen profitērī, to announce oneself or make oneself known. 1562-3 Winȝet I 62/27.
And as it is knawin nocht to be the kirk rentis … that moueis me to profes my name in this debait and tentatioun

7. To teach (an academic subject) as a professor of a university or college. Also absol. 1599 Comm. Univ. III (St. A.) 199.
That there shall be hereafter ane dean … elected … be the actual doctors professing theologie within the universitie c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. fol. 10.
Both of them did only professe Humanitie publikly in the Colledge without any mention of the Lawesabsol. 1600-1610 Melvill 45.
Mr. Andro … lyked … rather to be in sum universitie and profes thair as the king's lectors in Parise