Lewis & Short

prōfĭcĭo, fēci, fectum, 3, v. n and a. [pro-facio], to go forward, advance, gain ground, make progress.

  1. I. Lit. (very rare): cum quinqueremis sola non proficeret, Plin. 32, 1, 1, § 4.
  2. II. Trop., to go on, advance, make progress; to profit, derive advantage; to perform, effect, accomplish, obtain, etc. (class.; cf. procedo).
    1. A. Of persons: si nihil in oppugnatione oppidi profecisset, Caes. B. G. 7, 20: ubi diligentiā nostrorum nihil his rebus profici posse intellexerunt, id. ib. 3, 21: plus multitudine telorum, id. ib. 7, 82: loci opportunitate, id. B. C. 3, 23: antesignani tantum profecere, ut pellerent omnes, id. ib. 3, 75: multum profecit, Nep. Eum. 10, 1: si modo in philosophiā aliquid profecimus, have made any progress, Cic. Off. 3, 8, 37: ea, id. de Or. 2, 21 fin.
      Of the sick, to get better: si quidquam profecerint, Cael. Aur Acut. 2, 10, 71 proficiens aegrotus, id. ib. 2, 11, 81
    2. B. Of manim subjects, to grow, increase (mostly post-Aug.): id (vitis genus) quod umore proficit, Col. 3, 20: proficiente pretio, rising, Plin. 14, 4, 6, § 57.
      In pass.: sed etiam ad summam profectum aliquid puto, Cic. Att. 7, 13, 1: postquam nihil proficiebatur, Plin. 6, 26, 30, § 122.
      In a bad sense: proficere in pejus, to become worse and worse, Vulg. 2 Tim. 3, 13.
      1. 2. In partic., to be useful, serviceable, advantageous, etc., to effect, accomplish; to help, tend, contribute, conduce (class.; cf. prosum) ea suo quaeque loco, ubi plurimum proficere et valere possent, collocabat, Cic. Brut. 37, 139: nulla res tantum ad dicendum proficit, quantum scriptio, id. ib. 24, 92; Liv 3, 61: profectura aliquid tum tua verba puta, Ov P. 3, 1, 138: aut nihil in melius tot rerum proficit usus? Juv. 13, 18.
        Of remedies: radice vel herbā Proficiente nihil, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 150; nec alia res celerius proficit, is of service, Plin 27, 11, 72, § 96: axungia proficit ad strumas, id. 28, 9, 37, § 140; pirorum ligni cinis contra fungos efficacius proficit, id. 23, 7, 62, § 116: radix anethi vel in febribus proficit, id. 20, 23, 98, § 260.
        Impers.: multum proficiet illud demonstrare, quemadmodum scripsisset, Cic. Inv. 2, 41, 120.
        Hence, prōfĭcĭenter, adv., successfully (eccl. Lat.), Aug Ep. 80: incedere, Hil. Trin. 1, 22; Cassiod in Psa. 133, 2.