v., -ticed, -tic·ing, -tic·es. v.tr.
- To do or perform habitually or customarily; make a habit of: practices courtesy in social situations.
- To do or perform (something) repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill: practice a dance step.
- To give lessons or repeated instructions to; drill: practiced the students in handwriting.
- To work at, especially as a profession: practice law.
- To carry out in action; observe: practices a religion piously.
- Obsolete. To plot (something evil).
- To do or perform something habitually or repeatedly.
- To do something repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill.
- To work at a profession.
- Archaic. To intrigue or plot.
- A habitual or customary action or way of doing something: makes a practice of being punctual.
- Repeated performance of an activity in order to learn or perfect a skill: Practice will make you a good musician.
- A session of preparation or performance undertaken to acquire or polish a skill: goes to piano practice weekly; scheduled a soccer practice for Saturday.
- Archaic. The skill so learned or perfected.
- The condition of being skilled through repeated exercise: out of practice.
- The act or process of doing something; performance or action: a theory that is difficult to put into practice.
- Exercise of an occupation or profession: the practice of law.
- The business of a professional person: an obstetrician with her own practice.
- A habitual or customary action or act. Often used in the plural: That company engages in questionable business practices. Facial tattooing is a standard practice among certain peoples.
- Law. The methods of procedure used in a court of law.
- Archaic.
- The act of tricking or scheming, especially with malicious intent.
- A trick, scheme, or intrigue.
[Middle English practisen, from Old French practiser, alteration of practiquer, from practique, practice, from Medieval Latin prāctica. See practicable.]
practicer prac'tic·er n.SYNONYMS practice, exercise, rehearse. These verbs mean to do repeatedly to acquire or maintain proficiency: practice the shot put; exercising one's wits; rehearsed the play for 14 days. See also synonyms at habit.





