practice

Universal Words noun, verb noun action not ideas 1 [U] action rather than ideas: the theory and practice of teaching * She's determined to put her new ideas into practice. way of doing sth 2 [U,C] a way of doing sth that is the usual or expected way in a particular organization or situation: common / current / standard practice * guidelines for good / best practice * a review of pay and working practices * occult / religious practices * child care policy and practice seealsoCODEOFPRACTICE, RESTRICTIVEPRACTICES, SHARPPRACTICE habit / custom 3 [C] a thing that is done regularly; a habit or a custom: the German practice of giving workers a say in how their company is run * It is his practice to read several books a week. for improving skill 4 [U,C] doing an activity or training regularly so that you can improve your skill; the time you spend doing this: conversation practice * piano / football practice * It takes a lot of practice to play the violin well. * There's a basketball practice every Friday evening. * She does an hour's piano practice every day. of doctor / lawyer 5 [U,C] the work or the business of some professional people such as doctors, dentists and lawyers; the place where they work: the practice of law / medicine * Students should have prior experience of veterinary practice. * My solicitor is no longer in practice. * a successful medical / dental / law practice seealsoGENERALPRACTICE, GROUPPRACTICE, PRIVATEPRACTICE IDIOMS in practice in reality: Prisoners have legal rights, but in practice these rights are not always respected. be / get / out of practice to be/become less good at doing sth than you were because you have not spent time doing it recently: Don't ask me to speak French! I'm out of practice. practice makes perfect (saying) a way of encouraging people by telling them that if you do an activity regularly and try to improve your skill, you will become very good at it verb (AmE) = PRACTISE