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practice
[ prak-tis ]
noun
- habitual or customary performance; operation:
office practice.
- habit; custom:
It is not the practice here for men to wear long hair.
- repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency:
Practice makes perfect.
Synonyms: application
- condition arrived at by experience or exercise:
She refused to play the piano, because she was out of practice.
- the action or process of performing or doing something:
to put a scheme into practice;
the shameful practices of a blackmailer.
- the exercise or pursuit of a profession or occupation, especially law or medicine:
She plans to set up practice in her hometown.
- the business of a professional person:
The doctor wanted his daughter to take over his practice when he retired.
- Law. the established method of conducting legal proceedings.
- Archaic. plotting; intrigue; trickery.
- Usually practices. Archaic. intrigues; plots.
verb (used with object)
- to perform or do habitually or usually:
to practice a strict regimen.
- to follow or observe habitually or customarily:
to practice one's religion.
- to exercise or pursue as a profession, art, or occupation:
to practice law.
- to perform or do repeatedly in order to acquire skill or proficiency:
to practice the violin.
- to train or drill (a person, animal, etc.) in something in order to give proficiency.
verb (used without object)
- to do something habitually or as a practice.
- to pursue a profession, especially law or medicine.
- to exercise oneself by repeated performance in order to acquire skill:
to practice at shooting.
- Archaic. to plot or conspire.
practice
/ ˈpræktɪs /
noun
- a usual or customary action or proceeding
he made a practice of stealing stamps
it was his practice to rise at six
- repetition or exercise of an activity in order to achieve mastery and fluency
- the condition of having mastery of a skill or activity through repetition (esp in the phrases in practice, out of practice )
- the exercise of a profession
he set up practice as a lawyer
- the act of doing something
he put his plans into practice
- the established method of conducting proceedings in a court of law
verb
- the US spelling of practise
Other Words From
- practic·er noun
- mis·practice noun verb mispracticed mispracticing
- non·practice noun
- outpractice verb (used with object) outpracticed outpracticing
- over·practice verb (used with object) overpracticed overpracticing
- pre·practice verb prepracticed prepracticing
- re·practice verb (used with object) repracticed repracticing
Word History and Origins
Origin of practice1
Word History and Origins
Origin of practice1
Idioms and Phrases
- in practice
- make a practice of
- out of practice
- put into practice
- sharp practice
Example Sentences
On the other hand, if global emissions drop, deforestation decreases, and better fire management practices are applied locally, fires may not increase as much.
The only thing we receive are updates related to the Patrick Henry cheer program along with practice information that are signed by Patrick Henry Head Cheer Coach Jill Clark.
As confusing as the TikTok tie-up with Oracle may seem, there are precedents to the practice of having a “trusted” local partner manage parts of your business—look no further than China.
The organization also did not respond when asked if it had investigated or planned to investigate potential racial disparities in discharge practices.
Hardly any states followed the practices that had worked well elsewhere.
As a means of preventing tooth decay in those cities that do fluoridate, the practice certainly looks like a success.
Back in New York, the slow pace and inward focus of her yoga practice was less fulfilling.
The men use the dolls to practice the basics of caring for babies.
But in 1969, a longstanding practice was challenged—its ban on women.
DeCrow would come to lead a movement against this practice, suing the Hotel Syracuse in 1969 and calling for protests and sit-ins.
Many so-called "humming tones" are given for practice, but in accepting them observe whether the foregoing principle is obeyed.
Selections for practice should be chosen which contain much variety of thought and feeling and are smooth in movement.
In connection with this step the practice of melodies is useful, if one has musical taste.
In practice we find a good deal of technical study comes into the college stage.
It is clear, therefore, that the reserve reduction contemplated by the act will not be realized in practice.
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Practice Vs. Practise
What’s the difference between practice and practise?
In British English (and many other international varieties of English), the spelling practice is used when the word is a noun, while the spelling practise is used when it’s a verb. In American English, the spelling practice is always used, regardless of whether the word is used as a verb or a noun.
This is somewhat similar to the difference in spelling between advice (noun) and advise (verb)—a distinction that’s used in both British and American English.
However, unlike advice and advise, practice and practise are always pronounced the same.
Here is an example of how practice and practise would be used in the same sentence in British English.
Example: Remember, practice makes perfect—the more you practise, the better you will get.
Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between practice and practise.
Quiz yourself on practice vs. practise!
True or False?
In American English, the spelling practice is used only for nouns.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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