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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.

prŏfĭciscor, fectus, 3, v. dep. n. [profacio, facesso, faciscor; orig., to make, i. e. put one’s self forward; hence], to set out, start, go, march, travel, depart, etc. (class.; cf. progredior).

  1. I. Lit.: proficisci ad dormiendum, to go to sleep, Cic. Div. 2, 58, 119: ad somnum, id. ib. 1, 30, 62: ad sedes inquirendas, Just. 3, 4, 10: pabulatum frumentatumque, Hirt. B. G. 8, 10: subsidio alicui, Nep. Iph. 2, 5: ad bellum, Caes. B. G. 6, 29; Liv. 4, 45 sq.; Nep. Alc. 4, 1: ad eam domum, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 27, § 69: Puteolos, id. Ac. 2, 31: in Illyricum, Caes. B. G. 3, 7: in pugnam, id. B. C. 3, 99: in bellum, Just. 2, 11, 9; Gell. 17, 9, 8: in expeditionem, Sall. J. 103, 4: in Volscos, Liv. 2, 30; 2, 62; Just. 1, 6, 10: in exercitum, Plaut. Am. 5, 2, 7: hinc in pistrinum rectā viā, Ter. And. 3, 4, 21: contra quosdam barbaros, Nep Eum 3, 5: Cyprum, Ter. Ad. 2, 2, 16: Corinthum, id. Hec. 1, 2, 11: domum, id. Phorm. 5, 6, 20: Genabum, Caes. B. G. 7, 1: Romam, Sall. C. 34, 1: domos, Liv. 2, 14: Circeios, id. 2, 39: jussit proficisci exilium quovis gentium, Att. ap. Non. 185, 6 (Trag. Rel. v 599 Rib.): Jovinus eadem loca profectus, Amm 27, 8, 2.
    With supine: porro proficiscor quaesitum, Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 98.
    Absol.: proficisci, to make a journey, Dig. 17, 2, 52: ab urbe, to set out, depart, Caes. B. G. 1, 7: ab Antio, Liv. 2, 33: ex castris, to break up, Caes. B. C. 1, 78: e castris, id. ib. 1, 12: domo, Sall. J. 79, 4; Liv. 2, 26; 2, 4: portu, id. 9, 26: regno, Just. 37, 3, 4: Athenis, Nep. Milt. 1, 5: de Formiano, Cic. Att. 2, 8, 2.
    1. B. Transf., to be going or about to go, to intend to go to a place, to start (ante-class.): potin’ ut me ire, quo profectus sum, sinas? Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 2: tu profectus alio fueras, Ter Eun. 2, 2, 49: cum proficisceretur, Caes. B. G. 3, 1; Cic. Cat. 2, 7, 15; Hor. Ep. 1, 13, 1; 2, 2, 20.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen., to go, come, proceed: nunc proficiscemur ad reliqua, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 5, § 10.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To set out, begin, commence: ut inde oratio mea proficiscatur, unde, etc., Cic. Imp. Pomp. 2, 4: cum omnis haec quaestio ab eo proficiscatur, id. Fin. 5, 8, 23; a philosophiā profectus Xenophon scripsit historiam, id. de Or. 2, 14, 58: ei proficiscendum est ab omni mundo, id. Fin. 3, 22, 73.
      2. 2. To come forth, spring, arise, proceed, originate: cum omnia officia a principiis naturae proficiscantur, ab iisdem necesse est proficisci ipsam sapientiam, Cic. Fin. 3, 7, 23; 1, 12, 42; 3, 6, 22: falsis initiis profecta, id. ib. 1, 21, 72: ex medicinā nihil oportet putare proficisci, nisi quod ad corporis utilitatem spectet, id. Inv. 1, 38, 68: quaecumque a me ornamenta ad te proficiscentur, shall pass from me to you, i. e. you shall receive from me, id. Fam. 2, 19, 2: omnia quae a me profecta sunt in te, tibi accidisse gratissime, all you have received from me, id. ib. 3, 1, 1: ut plura a parente proficisci non potuerint, Nep. Att. 9, 4: qui a Zenone profecti sunt, who have proceeded from him, his disciples, Cic. Div 1, 3, 5; cf.: omnes ab Aristotele profecti, id. ib. 1, 35, 61.
        So, to express descent (poet.): Tyriā de gente profecti, Ov. M. 3, 35; Verg. A. 8, 51.
        Act. collat. form prŏfĭcisco, ĕre, to set out, go, etc. (anteclass.): priusquam proficisco, Plaut. Mil. 4, 8, 19; hortatur hominem, quam primum proficisceret, Turp. ap. Non. 471, 2.