the outline or contour of the human face, esp. the face viewed from one side.
2.
a picture or representation of the side view of a head.
3.
an outlined view, as of a city or mountain.
4.
an outline of an object, as a molding, formed on a vertical plane passed through the object at right angles to one of its principal horizontal dimensions.
5.
a drawing or the like representing this.
6.
Surveying. a vertical section of the ground surface taken parallel to a survey line. Compare cross section(def. 6).
7.
a verbal, arithmetical, or graphic summary or analysis of the history, status, etc., of a process, activity, relationship, or set of characteristics: a biochemical profile of a patient's blood; a profile of national consumer spending.
8.
an informal biography or a concisely presented sketch of the life and character of a person.
9.
a set of characteristics or qualities that identify a type or category of person or thing: a profile of a typical allergy sufferer.
10.
the look, configuration, or lines of something: cars with a modern profile.
11.
degree of noticeability; visibility.
12.
Psychology. a description of behavioral and personality traits of a person compared with accepted norms or standards.
13.
Theater. a flat stage property or scenic piece cut from a firm, thin material, as of beaverboard or plywood, and having an irregular edge resembling the silhouette of a natural object.
14.
(in a gear) the outline of either end of a tooth.
15.
Naval Architecture. a longitudinal elevation or section of a vessel. Compare outboard profile.
–verb (used with object)
16.
to draw a profile of.
17.
to produce or present a history, description, or analysis of: The magazine will profile the candidate in its next issue.
[Origin: 1650–60; (n.) < It prof(f)ilo, n. deriv. of profilare to delineate, outline, equiv. to pro-pro-1+ -filare, deriv. of filo line, thread < L fīlum]
Degree of exposure to public notice; visibility: preferred to keep a low profile.
A biographical essay presenting the subject's most noteworthy characteristics and achievements.
A formal summary or analysis of data, often in the form of a graph or table, representing distinctive features or characteristics: a psychological profile of a job applicant; a biochemical profile of blood.
Geology A vertical section of soil or rock showing the sequence of the various layers.
tr.v.
pro·filed, pro·fil·ing, pro·files
To draw or shape a profile of.
To produce a profile of.
[Italian profilo, from profilare, to draw in outline : pro-, forward (from Latin prō-; see pro-1) + filare, to draw a line (from Medieval Latin fīlāre, to spin, from Latin fīlum, thread; see gwhī- in Indo-European roots).]
1656, "a drawing of the outline of anything," from It. profilo "a drawing in outline," from profilare "to draw in outline," from pro- "forth" + filare "draw out, spin," from L.L. filare "to spin, draw out a line," from filum "thread." Meaning "biographical sketch, character study" is from 1734. The verb is 1715, "to represent in profile," from the noun. Meaning "to summarize a person in writing" is from 1948. Profiling in the racial/ethnic stereotyping sense is recorded from c.1991.
an analysis (often in graphical form) representing the extent to which something exhibits various characteristics; "a biochemical profile of blood"; "a psychological profile of serial killers"
2.
an outline of something (especially a human face as seen from one side)
3.
biographical sketch
4.
degree of exposure to public notice; "that candidate does not have sufficient visibility to win an election" [syn: visibility]
5.
a vertical section of the Earth's crust showing the different horizons or layers
verb
1.
write about; "The author of this article profiles a famous painter"
profile 1. A control file for a program, especially a text file automatically read from each user's home directory and intended to be easily modified by the user in order to customise the program's behaviour. Used to avoid hard-coded choices (see also dot file, rc file). 2. A report on the amounts of time spent in each routine of a program, used to find and tune away the hot spots in it. This sense is often verbed. Some profiling modes report units other than time (such as call counts) and/or report at granularities other than per-routine, but the idea is similar.
Pro"file\, n. [It. profilo, fr. L. pro before + filum a thread, an outline, shape: cf. F. profil. See File arow, and cf. Purfle, Purl, a fringe.]1. An outline, or contour; as, the profile of an apple. 2. (Paint & Sculp.) A human head represented sidewise, or in a side view; the side face or half face. 3. (a) (Arch.) A section of any member, made at right angles with its main lines, showing the exact shape of moldings and the like. (b) (Civil Engin.) A drawing exhibiting a vertical section of the ground along a surveyed line, or graded work, as of a railway, showing elevations, depressions, grades, etc. Profile paper (Civil Engin.), paper ruled with vertical and horizontal lines forming small oblong rectangles, adapted for drawing profiles.
Pro"file\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Profiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Profiling] [Cf. F. profiler, It. profilare. See Profile, n.]1. to draw the outline of; to draw in profile, as an architectural member. 2. (Mech.) To shape the outline of an object by passing a cutter around it. Profiling machine, a jigging machine.
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