To attempt or essay of one's own accord; to undertake or propose to undertake.
Origin
The noun is derived from Middle English profre, and then:
, and from its likely etymon Anglo-Norman profre, proffre, porofre, and
partly from the verb.
The verb is derived from Late Middle English prouffer, prouffre, Middle English profren, profer, proffere, from Anglo-Norman profrer, proferer, profferer, proffrir, propherer, proufrir, and Old French proferir, proffrir, profrir, variants of Anglo-Norman puroffrir and Middle French poroffrir, paroffrir, Old French poroffrir, paroffrir, porofrir, from por-, pur- + offrir, ofrir (modern French offrir). Offrir is derived from Vulgar Latin *offerīre, from Latin offerre, present active infinitive of offerō (from ob- + ferō (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-)).
Modern English dictionary
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