prŏ-for, fātus, 1 (inf. profarier, Prud. στεφ. 10, 939), v. dep. a., to say or speak out, to say, speak (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose).
I In gen.: veteres Casmenas cascam rem volo profari, tell , relate , Att. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 28 Müll.: quod jam et mehe Piget paternum nomen, maternum pudet Profari, Pac. ap. Non. 424, 4 (Trag. Rel. v. 145 Rib.): pudor prohibebat plura profari, Hor. S. 1, 6, 57: tum breviter Dido, vultum demissa, profatur, Verg. A. 1, 561: et sic accensa profatur, id. ib. 4, 364: quibus ille profatur: Forsitan, etc., Ov. M. 11, 289: vera profari, Petr. 121: sic ille profatus, Luc. 9, 251: clamore magno, Sil. 11, 211.—
II In partic., to foretell , predict , prophesy : quando dies adveniet, quem profata Morta est, Liv. And. ap. Gell. 3, 16, 11 (acc. to Hom. Odyss. 2, 99): Pythia quae tripodi a Phoebi lauroque profatur, Lucr. 1, 739; 5, 112: Delio profante, Petr. 89; Dig. 21, 1, 1.
III —Hence, prŏfātum . i, n., a statement , proposition , axiom (post-class.): ἀξιώματα, quae M. Varro alias profata, alias proloquia appellat, Gell. 16, 8, 2.