Both Uses of
profess
in
The Tempest
- Thus, sir: Although this lord of weak remembrance, this Who shall be of as little memory When he is earth'd, hath here almost persuaded,— For he's a spirit of persuasion, only Professes to persuade,—the King his son's alive, 'Tis as impossible that he's undrown'd As he that sleeps here swims.†
Scene 2.1professes = claims
- bear witness to this sound, And crown what I profess with kind event, If I speak true: if hollowly, invert What best is boded me to mischief!†
Scene 3.1 *profess = claim
Definitions:
-
(1)
(profess) to claim (openly state) -- sometimes insincerely
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) Much more rarely, profess can mean:
- to teach or be knowledgeable of -- as in "profess chemistry"
- practice as a profession -- as in "profess medicine"
- proclaim belief in or allegiance to -- as in "profess Catholicism"