I.v (old form of the inf. PROFITEREI, and of the imper. PROFITEMINO, several times in the Tab. Her, in Haubold, Mon. Leg. p. 99 sq.), v. dep. a. [pro-fateor], to declare publicly, to own freely, to acknowledge, avow, confess openly, profess (class.).
I. In gen.
a. Absol.: “neque vis tuā voluntate ipse profiteri,” Plaut. Men. 4, 2, 80: “ita libenter confitetur, ut non solum fateri, sed etiam profiteri videatur,” Cic. Caecin. 9, 24: “fateor atque etiam profiteor et prae me fero,” id. Rab. Perd. 5, 17.—
b. With acc.: “profiteri et in medium proferre aliquid,” Cic. Fin. 2, 23, 76: “cur ea non profitenda putabas?” Ov. H. 21, 129.—
c. With obj. clause: “profitentur Carnutes, se nullum periculum recusare,” Caes. B. G. 7, 2; Cic. N D. 1, 5, 12.—
II. In partic.
A. Profiteri se aliquem, to declare one's self or profess to be something: “profiteri se grammaticum,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 4, 12; Poët. ap. Auct. Her. 2, 26, 42; “profiteri se patrem infantis,” Suet. Calig. 25: “se legatum,” id. Galb. 10: “se candidatum consulatūs,” id. Aug. 4: “professus amicum,” Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 2.—With esse: “triduo me jure consultum esse profitebor,” Cic. Mur. 13, 28: “me omnium provinciarum defensorem esse profitebor,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 93, § 217.—
B. Profiteri aliquid, to profess an art, science, etc.: “profiteri philosophiam,” to declare one's self a philosopher, Cic. Pis. 29, 71; medicinam, to profess medicine, to practise as a physician, Cels. praef.; Suet. Caes. 42; “jus,” Ov. A. A. 3, 531.—In pass.: “rem non professam apud nos tenemus,” Quint. Decl. 341. —Absol.: profiteri, to be a teacher or professor (post-Aug.): “cum omnes qui profitentur, audiero,” Plin. Ep 2, 18, 3: “translatus est in Siciliam, ubi nunc profitetur,” id. ib. 4, 11, 14.—
C. Profiteri indicium, to give evidence, make a deposition against accomplices: “multis hortantibus indicium profitetur,” Sall. J. 35, 6; Hirt. B. Afr 55, Curt. 8, 6, 23; Plin. Ep. 3, 16, 9: “summum supplicium decernebatur, ni professus indicium foret,” Tac. A. 6, 3.—
D. To offer freely, propose voluntarily, to promise: quis profitetur? who volunteers? Plaut Capt. 3, 1, 20: “se ad eam rem adjutorem,” Caes. B. G. 5, 38: “ego vero tibi profiteor atque polliceor eximium et singulare meum studium in omni genere officii,” Cic. Fam. 5, 8, 4: “si vos in eam rem operam vestram profitemini,” id. Rosc. Am. 53, 153: “Varro profitetur se alterā die ad colloquium venturum,” Caes. B. C. 3, 19: “sumunt gentiles arma professa manus,” arms that promise a combat, Ov. F. 2, 198: magna, Hor A. P. 14; Ov. F. 5, 351: “grandia,” Hor. A. P. 27.—
E. To disclose, show, display, make a show of; dolorem, Just. 8, 5, 11: “sola Jovem Semele vidit Jovis ora professum,” Nemes. Ecl. 3, 22: “vitate viros cultum formamque professos,” Ov. A A. 3, 433.—
F. To make a public statement or return of any thing (as of one's name, property, business, etc.): “censum (one's estate),” Ulp. Fragm. 1, 8; “Tab. Her. in Haubold, Mon. Leg. p. 99 sq. (q. v.): ut aratores jugera sationum suarum profiterentur,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 15, § 38: “apud decemviros, quantum habeat praedae,” id. Agr. 2, 22, 59: “greges ovium ad publicanum,” Varr. R. R. 2, 1: “frumentum, Liv 4, 12: furtum,” Quint. Decl. 341: “rem alienam,” id. ib. 341: “rem apud publicanum,” id. ib. 359; Dig. 39, 4, 16, § 12.—Absol.: “ne decipiat (publicanus) profiteri volentes,” Dig. 39, 4, 19, § 6; Vulg. Luc. 2, 3 and 5: “nomen,” to give in one's name, announce one's self, Liv. 26, 18; also without nomen: “Catilina prohibitus erat petere consulatum, quod intra legitimos dies profiteri nequiverit,” Sall. C. 18, 3: “nam et quaesturam petentes, quos indignos judicavit, profiteri vetuit,” Vell. 2, 92, 3: professae (sc. feminae), i. e. common prostitutes, who had to give in their names to the aedile, Ov. F. 4, 866.—Trop.: “in his nomen suum profitetur,” among these he reckons himself, Ter. Eun. prol. 3.—Hence, prŏ-fessus , a, um, P. a., in passive signif., known, manifest, confessed (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “culpa professa,” Ov. Am. 3, 14, 6: “dux,” Just. 8, 4, 4.—Ex or de professo, openly, avowedly, intentionally, professedly: “non ex professo eam (potentiam) non petere,” Sen. Ep. 14, 8: “vir ex professo mollis, Macr S. 2, 9.—De professo (postclass.): ac ne id quidem de professo audet,” openly, App. Mag. p. 274, 11.
