Definitions of profess:

• verb:   state insincerely

  Example: "He professed innocence but later admitted his guilt"

• verb:   confess one's faith in, or allegiance to

  Example: "The teacher professed allegiance to the Muslim faith"

• verb:   practice as a profession, teach, or claim to be knowledgeable about

  Example: "She professes organic chemistry"

• verb:   take vows, as in religious order

  Example: "She professed herself as a nun"

• verb:   receive into a religious order or congregation
• verb:   state freely

  Example: "The teacher professed that he was not generous when it came to giving good grades"

• verb:   admit, make a clean breast of