profess

verb

1. practice as a profession, teach, or claim to be knowledgeable about"She professes organic chemistry"
2. confess one's faith in, or allegiance to"The terrorists professed allegiance to their country"
3. admit (to a wrongdoing)"She confessed that she had taken the money"
4. state freely"The teacher professed that he was not generous when it came to giving good grades"
5. receive into a religious order or congregation
6. take vows, as in religious order"she professed herself as a nun"
7. state insincerely"He professed innocence but later admitted his guilt"