English
profound
Pronunciation
  • enPR: prə-found′, IPA: /pɹəˈfaʊnd/
Adjective

profound

  1. Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep.
    • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost
      A gulf profound as that Serbonian bog
  2. Very deep; very serious
  3. Intellectually deep; entering far into subjects; reaching to the bottom of a matter, or of a branch of learning; thorough
    a profound investigation
    a profound scholar
    profound wisdom
  4. Characterized by intensity; deeply felt; pervading
    • 1603-1604, William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure
      How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?
    • 1860, Henry Hart Milman, History of Latin Christianity : including that of the popes to the pontificate of Nicholas V.
      Of the profound corruption of this class there can be no doubt.
    • 2019, Shelina Janmohamed, Long before Shamima Begum, Muslim women were targets, in the Guardian.
      It’s probably one of the reasons the Shamima Begum case is having such a profound impact; one-dimensional stereotypes about Muslim women already run so deep.
  5. Bending low, exhibiting or expressing deep humility; lowly; submissive
    • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair
      And with this, and a profound bow to his patrons, the Manager retires, and the curtain rises.
    • 17th century, Brian Duppa, Holy Rules and Helps to Devotion
      What humble gestures! What profound reverence!
Translations Translations Translations Translations
  • Russian: ни́зкий
Noun

profound (uncountable)

  1. (obsolete) The deep; the sea; the ocean.
    • 1638, George Sandys, A Paraphrase vpon the Divine Poems, [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A11474.0001.001/1:16.1?rgn=div2;view=fulltext Exodvs 15]:
      God, in the fathomlesse profound / Hath all his choice Commanders drown'd.
  2. (obsolete) An abyss.
    • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost (Book II), 976-980:
      ...if some other place, / From your dominion won, th' Ethereal King / Possesses lately, thither to arrive / travel this profound. Direct my course...
Verb

profound (profounds, present participle profounding; past and past participle profounded)

  1. (obsolete) To cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down.
  2. (obsolete) To dive deeply; to penetrate.
Related terms

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