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Proficient vs Practised - What's the difference?

proficient | practised |

As an adjective proficient

is good at; skilled; fluent; practiced, especially in relation to a task or skill.

As a noun proficient

is an expert.

As a verb practised is

(practise).

proficient

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Good at; skilled; fluent; practiced, especially in relation to a task or skill.
  • He was a proficient writer with an interest in human nature.
  • * 1912 : (Edgar Rice Burroughs), (Tarzan of the Apes), Chapter 5
  • By constant playing and experimenting with these he learned to tie rude knots, and make sliding nooses; and with these he and the younger apes amused themselves. What Tarzan did they tried to do also, but he alone originated and became proficient .

    Synonyms

    * (good at) skilled, fluent, practiced

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An expert.
  • Synonyms

    * (expert) expert; see also

    practised

    English

    Verb

    (head)
  • (practise)

  • practise

    English

    Alternative forms

    * practice (standard for noun but incorrect for verb outside US; almost universal for both in American English)

    Verb

    (practis)
  • (transitive, British, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland) To repeat as a way of improving one's skill in that activity.
  • You should practise playing piano every day.
  • (intransitive, British, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland) To repeat an activity in this way.
  • If you want to speak French well, you need to practise .
  • (transitive, British, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland) To perform or observe in a habitual fashion.
  • They gather to practise religion every Saturday.
  • (transitive, British, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland) To pursue (a career, especially law, fine art or medicine).
  • She practised law for forty years before retiring.
  • (intransitive, obsolete, British, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland) To conspire.
  • 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.
  • To make use of; to employ.
  • * Massinger
  • In malice to this good knight's wife, I practised Ubaldo and Ricardo to corrupt her.
  • 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.

    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

    Derived terms

    * practised * practising

    Anagrams

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