professional
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position in this matter: I think you should take professional advice. (=from a lawyer) | Our doctor has been accused of professional misconduct. 2 usually apprec showing the qualities of training of a member of a profession: You made a good job of painting the kitchen – very professional. | professional standards | Don't wear those old clothes to work; try to look more professional. 3 [no comp.] doing for money what others do a) for enjoyment: a professional photographer | a footballer who has just turned professional (=started to play football as a job) b) themselves, in order to save money: a professional painter and decorator → compare AMATEUR 4 [no comp.] done by people who are paid: professional football → compare AMATEUR 5 [A no comp.] BrE euph (of a breaking of rules in sport) intentional: If a footballer handles the ball to stop another player getting it, it is often called a professional foul. —ly adv: She was professionally trained.
professional² also pro infml — n 1 apprec a person who has great experience and high professional standards: She's a real professional. 2 a person who earns money by practising a particular skill or sport → compare AMATEUR 3 (often in comb.) a sportsman employed by a private club to play for it and to teach its members: a tennis professional
professional 'foul n (in football) an occasion when someone deliberately does something that is against the rules in order to prevent another player from scoring
Professional Golfers' Association of America
→ see PGA
professionalism /prə'feʃənəlɪzəm/ n [U] 1 often apprec the behaviour, skill, or qualities shown by a professional 2 (in sports) the practice of using professional players
professional 'person n an educated man or woman who usually has a job in an office and who is often seen by other people as someone who has high standards of behaviour: Professional person wanted to rent small house.
professor /prə'fesə/ n 1 BrE a teacher of the highest rank in a university department: Professor Ward | a history professor/a professor of history | Certainly, professor → see also ABSENT-MINDED PROFESSOR 2 AmE any full member of the teaching body at a university or college 3 a title taken by those who teach or claim various skills: Madame Clara, professor of dancing
professorial /ˌprfə'sɔːriəl ǁ ˌprɑː-/ adj of a university professor: professorial rank —ally adv
professorship /prə'fesəʃɪp ǁ -sər-/ n the position of a university professor
proffer /'prɒfə ǁ 'prɑː-/ v [T(to)] fml to offer, especially by holding out in the hands for acceptance: She refused the proffered drink. | [+obj(i)+obj(d)] He proffered me a cigar.
proficient /prə'fɪʃənt/ adj [at, in] thoroughly skilled; well practised: She is proficient at/in operating the computer. | a proficient typist —ly adv —ciency n [U(at, in)] a maths proficiency test
profile¹ /'prəʊfaɪl/ n 1 a side view, especially of someone's head: He drew her profile. | She photographed him in profile. 2 an edge or shape of something seen against a background: the sharp profile of the hills against the sky 3 the state of being noticed by other people around one: He is attracting most of the criticism, partly because of his high political profile at the moment. | The government is trying to keep a low profile on this issue. 4 [(of)] a short description, especially of a person's life and character, especially as given on television or in a newspaper: an exclusive profile of the new tennis champion
profile² v [T] to draw, write, or show a profile of: an article profiling the new Soviet leader
profit¹ /'prɒfɪt ǁ 'prɑː-/ n 1 [C;U] money gained by trade or business: There's very little profit in selling newspapers at present. | The company announced a trading profit/a pre-tax profit of £2 million for 1986, after making a loss in 1985. | We sold our house at a profit. (=sold it for more than it had cost) | They made a profit of £6000 on the deal. | I made a handsome (=very good) profit from the sale of my car. | a non-profit-making organization | a for-profit hospital chain | hoping to bring the system into profit this year | net/gross profit 2 [U] fml advantage gained from some action: reading for profit and pleasure —less adj —lessly adv
profit² v [T +obj(i)+obj(d)] fml or old use to be of advantage to (someone): It will profit you nothing to do that.
profit by/from sthg phr v [T] to learn or gain advantage from (an experience, activity etc): You can profit by my mistakes and avoid them yourself. | [+v-ing] She has certainly profited from spending a year in England.
profitability /ˌprɒfɪtə'bɪləti ǁ ˌprɑː-/ n [U] the state of being profitable or the degree to which a business or operation is profitable: The company hopes to return to profitability this year. | high profitability
profitable /'prɒfɪtəbl ǁ 'prɑː-/ adj producing or resulting in profit or advantage: a profitable deal | It's a very profitable little business. | We spent a profitable day cleaning out the cupboards. → opposite UNPROFITABLE —bly adv
profit and 'loss account n a financial statement showing a company's income, spending, and profit over a certain period
profiteer /ˌprɒfɪ'tɪə ǁ ˌprɑː-/ n derog a person who makes unfairly large profits, especially by selling things at very high prices when much-needed goods are difficult to get: black market profiteers —profiteer v [I] —ing n [U] arrested for profiteering
profiterole /prə'fɪtərəʊl/ n a small round PASTRY with a sweet filling and chocolate on the top
'profit margin n the difference between the cost of production and the selling price: a high profit margin
'profit sharing n [U] a system according to which the workers share in the profits of a factory, business etc
profligate¹ /'prɒflɪgət ǁ 'prɑː-/ adj 1 [(of)] carelessly and foolishly wasteful, especially of money: profligate spending by our local council 2 fml wicked; shamelessly immoral —gacy n [U] fml
profligate² n fml a profligate person
profound /prə'faʊnd/ adj 1 deep; very strongly felt; INTENSE: There was a profound silence in the empty church. | The incident made a profound impression on me. 2 often apprec having or using thorough knowledge and deep understanding: a profound thinker | a very profound remark 3 [A] lit or fml deep; far below the surface: in the profound depths of the ocean 4 tech complete: profound deafness —ly adv: I am profoundly grateful.
Profumo Scandal, the /prə'fju:məʊ ˌskændl/ also the Pro'fumo Affair a series of events in 1963 involving the British politician John Profumo (1915-), who was the Minister for War in the Conservative government. Profumo had a sexual relationship with a young woman, Christine KEELER, who was also in a relationship with a Russian naval officer who worked at the Soviet EMBASSY. People were shocked when these facts became known, because it was thought that national secrets might have been passed to the Russians. There were also newspaper stories about Profumo and other important public figures having parties where there was a lot of sexual activity. Profumo was forced to give up his job, and these events