practice

sharp practice

Underhanded, deceitful, cunning, or particularly sneaky practice, especially in business, that is technically within the scope of the law but which may be considered immoral or unethical. The investment banking sector has been tightly reined in by the government after the sharp practice that went unchecked for so many years and cost so many people their life savings.

in practice

1. in the actual doing of something; in reality. Our policy is to be very particular, but in practice we don't care that much. The instructions say not to set it too high. In practice I always set it as high as possible.

2. well-rehearsed; well-practiced; well-exercised. The swimmer was not in practice and almost drowned. I play the piano for a living, and I have to keep in practice.

make a practice of something

and make something a practice

to turn something into a habitual activity. Jane makes a practice of planting daisies every summer. Her mother also made it a practice.

*out of practice

performing poorly due to a lack of practice. (*Typically: be ~; get ~; go ~.) I used to be able to play the piano extremely well, but now I'm out of practice. The baseball players lost the game because they were out of practice.

Practice makes perfect.

Prov. Cliché Doing something over and over again is the only way to learn to do it well. Jill: I'm not going to try to play the piano anymore. I always make so many mistakes. Jane: Don't give up. Practice makes perfect. Child: How come you're so good at peeling potatoes? Father: I did it a lot in the army, and practice makes perfect.

practice (up)on someone or something

to train or drill on someone or something. (In preparation for the real thing. Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) I do not want a dental student practicing upon me. I want to learn how to braid hair. Can I practice on you?

Practice what you preach.

Prov. Cliché You yourself should do the things you advise other people to do. Dad always told us we should only watch an hour of television every day, but we all knew he didn't practice what he preached.

put something into practice

to make a suggested procedure the actual procedure. That is a good policy. I suggest you put it into practice immediately. I plan to put the new technique into practice as soon as I can.

in practice

1. actually In theory, the license fee is only $5 but, because other costs get added on, in practice it is more like $20. Opposite of: in theory

2. prepared It must have been six years since I took a girl out, and I wasn't in practice for the dating game.

Opposite of: out of practice

make a practice of doing something

to do something regularly or as a habit I don't make a practice of recommending restaurants, but this one is really special.

out of practice

not prepared When I take time off from work, I get out of practice and have trouble getting up in the morning.

Opposite of: in practice

practice what you preach

to behave the way you tell other people to behave Other countries need to see that we practice what we preach when it comes to human rights. I practice what I preach in that I exercise almost every day.

Practice makes perfect.

something that you say which means if you do something many times you will learn to do it very well You can't expect to become a brilliant dancer overnight, but practice makes perfect.

practise what you preach

(British & Australian) also practice what you preach (American)

to do what you advise other people to do I would have more respect for him if he practised what he preaches.

in practice

1. Actually, in fact, especially as opposed to theoretically or in principle. For example, In practice this contraption seems to work, although no one knows how or why. [Second half of 1500s] Also see put into practice.

2. In the exercise of a particular profession, as in She's an obstetrician and has been in practice for at least ten years. [c. 1700]

3. In a state of being exercised so as to maintain one's skill, as in This trumpeter is always in practice. [Early 1600s] For an antonym, see out of practice.

make a practice of

Habitually do something, as in Bill makes a practice of checking the oil and gas before every long trip. [c. 1900]

out of practice

No longer used to doing something, no longer adept for lack of doing something, as in Mom hadn't baked a cake in years-she said she was out of practice. [Late 1800s] Also see in practice.

practice makes perfect

Frequently doing something makes one better at doing it, as in I've knit at least a hundred sweaters, but in my case practice hasn't made perfect. This proverbial expression was once put as Use makes mastery, but by 1560 the present form had become established.

practice what you preach

Behave as you would have others behave, as in You keep telling us to clean up, but I wish you'd practice what you preach. This idiom expresses an ancient idea but appeared in this precise form only in 1678. Also see do as I say.

put into practice

Also, put in practice. Carry out in action, as in It's time we put these new ideas into practice. Shakespeare used this idiom in Two Gentlemen of Verona (3:2): "Thy advice, this night, I'll put in practice." [Mid-1500s]

sharp practice

Crafty or deceitful dealings, especially in business. For example, That firm's known for its sharp practice, so I'd rather not deal with them. This expression, first recorded in 1836, uses sharp in the combined sense of "mentally acute" and "cutting."

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Trevino	[trə'vi:nəu]
Aucaman	aw-oo-kaw-MAWN	Native American, Mapuche
Gilberta	khil-BER-tah (Dutch), jeel-BER-tah (Italian)	Dutch, Italian
EkİN	-	Turkish
Cortney	KORT-nee	English
Jove	JOV (English)	Roman Mythology (Anglicized)