Isn't it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?

Question

Isn't it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?

Answer 1

its a homophone, dear. like the others stated.

Answer 2

LOL...yes, indeed.

Answer 3

Its not like they are going to two-a-day football practice bonehead. The word practise, "s" not "c" has a very different meaning. Douche bag.

Answer 4

Yeah that is a good point

Answer 5

In the US, we spell it the same, but the word has several meanings.  See definition 4.

prac·tice (prăk'tĭs) pronunciation

v., -ticed, -tic·ing, -tic·es.

v.tr.

   1. To do or perform habitually or customarily; make a habit of: practices courtesy in social situations.

   2. To do or perform (something) repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill: practice a dance step.

   3. To give lessons or repeated instructions to; drill: practiced the students in handwriting.

   4. To work at, especially as a profession: practice law.

   5. To carry out in action; observe: practices a religion piously.

   6. Obsolete. To plot (something evil).

I find it more unnerving that you can't use a dictionary.  Isn't that a 3rd grade skill?

Answer 6

Only to people who make elephant mounds out of linguistic molehills.  The English language contains two separate words that happen to sound similar.  There's 'practice' and 'practise'.  The latter involves training to be better at something.  Note that it contains an 's' rather than a 'c'.

There's a difference between a doctor practicing medicine and somebody practising it.

Answer 7

Doctors make a best guess as to what is wrong with you. They take tests and panels doing whatever they can to zero in on your problem still it is a best guess type situation.

Answer 8

Good point.