profess

To affirm openly; declare or claim.

To make a pretense of; pretend.

To practice as a profession or claim knowledge of.

To affirm belief in.

To receive into a religious order or congregation.

To make an open affirmation.

To take the vows of a religious order or congregation.

To declare openly; make open declaration of; avow or acknowledge; own freely; affirm.

To acknowledge or own publicly; also, to lay claim openly to the character of.

To affirm faith in or allegiance to: as, to profess Christianity.