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Webster 1913 Edition

Practise

Prac′tise

,
Verb.
T.
&
I.
See
Practice
.
☞ The analogy of the English language requires that the noun and verb which are pronounced alike should agree in spelling. Thus we have notice (n. & v.), noticed, noticing, noticer; poultice (n. & v.); apprentice (n. & v.); office (n. & v.), officer (n.); lattice (n.), latticed (a.); benefice (n.), beneficed (a.), etc. Cf. sacrifice ([GREEK]; n. & v.), surmise ([GREEK]; n. & v.), promise ([GREEK]; n. & v.); compromise ([GREEK]; n. & v.), etc. Contrast advice ([GREEK]; n.), and advise ([GREEK]); device ([GREEK]), and devise ([GREEK]), etc.

Definition 2024

practise

practise

English

Alternative forms

Verb

practise ‎(third-person singular simple present practises, present participle practising, simple past and past participle practised) (Commonwealth of Nations)

  1. (transitive) To repeat as a way of improving one's skill in that activity.
    You should practise playing piano every day.
  2. (intransitive) To repeat an activity in this way.
    If you want to speak French well, you need to practise.
  3. (transitive) To perform or observe in a habitual fashion.
    They gather to practise religion every Saturday.
  4. (transitive) To pursue (a career, especially law, fine art or medicine).
    She practised law for forty years before retiring.
  5. (intransitive, obsolete) To conspire.
  6. To put into practice; to carry out; to act upon; to commit; to execute; to do.
    • Shakespeare
      Aught but Talbot's shadow whereon to practise your severity.
    • Alexander Pope
      As this advice ye practise or neglect.
  7. To make use of; to employ.
    • Massinger
      In malice to this good knight's wife, I practised Ubaldo and Ricardo to corrupt her.
  8. To teach or accustom by practice; to train.
    • Landor
      In church they are taught to love God; after church they are practised to love their neighbour.

Translations

Usage notes

  • In sense "to repeat an activity as a way improving one's skill" this is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing). See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

External links

  • practise in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • practise in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Noun

practise ‎(plural practises)

  1. Misspelling of practice.

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English practizen, a variant of practisen, from Middle French pratiser, practiser, from Medieval Latin practizo, from Late Latin practico ‎(“to do, perform, execute, propose, practise, exercise, be conversant with, contrive, conspire, etc.”), from prāctica ‎(“practical affairs", "business”), from Ancient Greek πρᾱκτική ‎(prāktikḗ), from πρᾱκτικός ‎(prāktikós, “practical”), from πρᾱ́σσειν ‎(prā́ssein, “to do”).

Pronunciation

  • enPR: prăkʹtĭs, IPA(key): /ˈpɹæktɪs/

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