prac•tice^*ˈpræk tɪs(n.; v.)-ticed, -tic•ing.

1. (n.)habitual or customary course of action or way of doing something:

   office practice.

2. a habit; custom:

   to make a practice of borrowing money.

3. repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring proficiency.

4. condition arrived at by experience or exercise:

   out of practice.

5. the action or process of doing something or carrying something out:

   to put a scheme into practice.

6. the exercise or pursuit of a profession, esp. law or medicine.

7. the business of a professional person.

8. the established method of conducting legal proceedings.

   Category: Law

9. Archaic. plotting; intrigue; trickery. Usu. practices. intrigues; plots.

10. (v.t.)to perform or do habitually or usually:

    to practice a strict regimen.

11. to follow or observe habitually or customarily:

    to practice one's religion.

12. to exercise or pursue as a profession, art, or occupation.

13. to perform on or do repeatedly in order to acquire skill or proficiency:

    to practice the violin.

14. to train or drill (a person, animal, etc.) in something in order to give proficiency.

15. (v.i.)to do something habitually or as a practice.

16. to pursue a profession, esp. law or medicine.

17. to do something repeatedly in order to acquire skill.

18. Archaic. to plot or conspire.

    Ref: Also, Brit., practise (for defs. 11-19 ).

^* Syn: See custom.

Origin of practice:

1375–1425; (v.) late ME practisen, practizen (< MF pra(c)tiser) < ML prāctizāre, alter. of prācticāre, der. of prāctica practical work < Gk prāktikḗ, n. use of fem. of prāktikóspractical ; (n.) late ME, der. of the v.

prac′tic•er(n.)