In British English, practice is a noun and practise is a verb.
Practice involves doing something regularly in order to improve your ability at it.
A practice is something that is done regularly, for example as a custom.
If you practise something, you do it or take part in it regularly.
In American English, the spelling 'practise' is not normally used. The verb and noun are both spelled practice.
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Noun | 1. | practice - a customary way of operation or behavior; "it is their practice to give annual raises"; "they changed their dietary pattern" activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity" biologism - use of biological principles in explaining human especially social behavior cooperation - the practice of cooperating; "economic cooperation"; "they agreed on a policy of cooperation" featherbedding - the practice (usually by a labor union) of requiring an employer to hire more workers than are required formalism - the practice of scrupulous adherence to prescribed or external forms one-upmanship - the practice of keeping one jump ahead of a friend or competitor pluralism - the practice of one person holding more than one benefice at a time modernism - practices typical of contemporary life or thought occult arts, occult - supernatural practices and techniques; "he is a student of the occult" ornamentalism - the practice of ornamental display cannibalism - the practice of eating the flesh of your own kind careerism - the practice of advancing your career at the expense of your personal integrity habitude - habitual mode of behavior fashion - characteristic or habitual practice lobbyism - the practice of lobbying; the activities of a lobbyist slaveholding, slavery - the practice of owning slaves peonage - the practice of making a debtor work for his creditor until the debt is discharged unwritten law - law based on customary behavior lynch law - the practice of punishing people by hanging without due process of law mistreatment - the practice of treating (someone or something) badly; "he should be punished for his mistreatment of his mother" nonconformism - the practice of nonconformity calisthenics, callisthenics - the practice of calisthenic exercises; "calisthenics is recommended for general good health" quotation - the practice of quoting from books or plays etc.; "since he lacks originality he must rely on quotation" ritual - the prescribed procedure for conducting religious ceremonies ritualism - exaggerated emphasis on the importance of rites or ritualistic forms in worship systematism - the habitual practice of systematization and classification cross dressing, transvestism, transvestitism - the practice of adopting the clothes or the manner or the sexual role of the opposite sex |
2. | practice - systematic training by multiple repetitions; "practice makes perfect" fire drill - an exercise intended to train people in duties and escape procedures to be followed in case of fire manual of arms, manual - (military) a prescribed drill in handling a rifle military drill - training in marching and the use of weapons rehearsal - (psychology) a form of practice; repetition of information (silently or aloud) in order to keep it in short-term memory dry run, rehearsal - a practice session in preparation for a public performance (as of a play or speech or concert); "he missed too many rehearsals"; "a rehearsal will be held the day before the wedding" scrimmage - (American football) practice play between a football team's squads shadowboxing - sparring with an imaginary opponent (for exercise or training) target practice - practice in shooting at targets | |
3. | practice - translating an idea into action; "a hard theory to put into practice"; "differences between theory and praxis of communism" effectuation, implementation - the act of implementing (providing a practical means for accomplishing something); carrying into effect | |
4. | practice - the exercise of a profession; "the practice of the law"; "I took over his practice when he retired" consultancy - the practice of giving expert advice within a particular field; "a business management consultancy" cosmetology - the practice of beautifying the face and hair and skin dental practice - the practice of dentistry law practice - the practice of law medical practice - the practice of medicine optometry - the practice of an optometrist private practice - the practice of a profession independently and not as an employee; "he teaches at the medical school but his fortune came from private practice"; "lawyers in private practice are in business and must make a profit to survive" usage, use, utilisation, utilization, exercise, employment - the act of using; "he warned against the use of narcotic drugs"; "skilled in the utilization of computers" witching - the use or practice of witchcraft | |
5. | practice - knowledge of how something is usually done; "it is not the local practice to wear shorts to dinner" normal, convention, rule, pattern, formula - something regarded as a normative example; "the convention of not naming the main character"; "violence is the rule not the exception"; "his formula for impressing visitors" heritage - practices that are handed down from the past by tradition; "a heritage of freedom" | |
Verb | 1. | practice - carry out or practice; as of jobs and professions; "practice law" |
2. | practice - learn by repetition; "We drilled French verbs every day"; "Pianists practice scales" | |
3. | practice - engage in a rehearsal (of) performing arts - arts or skills that require public performance perform, do, execute - carry out or perform an action; "John did the painting, the weeding, and he cleaned out the gutters"; "the skater executed a triple pirouette"; "she did a little dance" walk through - perform in a perfunctory way, as for a first rehearsal scrimmage - practice playing (a sport) | |
4. | practice - avail oneself to; "apply a principle"; "practice a religion"; "use care when going down the stairs"; "use your common sense"; "practice non-violent resistance" apply, employ, use, utilise, utilize - put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose; "use your head!"; "we only use Spanish at home"; "I can't use this tool"; "Apply a magnetic field here"; "This thinking was applied to many projects"; "How do you utilize this tool?"; "I apply this rule to get good results"; "use the plastic bags to store the food"; "He doesn't know how to use a computer" follow - adhere to or practice; "These people still follow the laws of their ancient religion" | |
5. | practice - engage in or perform; "practice safe sex"; "commit a random act of kindness" |