Practise Vs. Practice (UK English)

[tsu]

UK vs US English quick question ahoy!

Just to verify, in standard UK English, should it be "Practise makes perfect" or "Practice makes perfect"? If practise is the action verb in UK english, then it should the former, or is this a special phrase where the choice of word is noun, aka practice?

Thanks for your input!

[David L.]

This saying goes way back to the 16th century, and the Latin phrase 'Uses promptos facit' which translated became 'use makes perfect'. (One imagines it refers to something like, the more use(=yoos) you put your spindle to by spinning wool, or the more use(=yoos) your knitting needles get, the more perfect a spinner/knitter you will be. Be industrious!

Note that this is 'use - yoos' (the noun) not 'use-yooz' the verb.
So, a century or two later, "practice makes perfect" crops up, substituting the noun 'practice' for the noun, 'use'.

Note also:
out of practice: not currently proficient in a particular activity or skill due to not having exercised or performed it for some time
and
practice what you preach