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An American Dictionary of the English Language

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

  1. Per-dĭ'tion, n.p. 968Entire loss; utter destruction; ruin. “The perdition of the Turkish fleet.” Shak. 2. The utter loss of the soul, or of final happiness in a future state; future misery or eternal death. If we reject…
  2. Per-dĭ'tion-a-ble, a.p. 968Capable of being ruined; worthy of perdition. [Rare.] Pollok.
  3. Per-dū' or Pĕr'du, n.p. 968One who is placed on the watch or in ambush. Shak.
  4. Per-dū' or Pĕr'du or Per-dūe' or Pĕr'due, a.p. 968Lost to view; in concealment; close. Object not that it is unfitting he should lie perdue who is to walk the round. Fuller. The moderator, out of view, Beneath the desk had lain perdue. Trumbull. 2.…
  5. Per-dū'el-ism or Per-dū'el-lion, n.p. 968Treason.
  6. Pĕr'du-lōus, a.p. 968Lost; thrown away. [Obs.] Bramhall.
  7. Per-dūr'a-ble, a.p. 968Very durable; lasting; continuing long. [Obs.] Shak.
  8. Per-dūr'a-bly, adv.p. 968Very durably. [Obs.] Shak.
  9. Per-dūr'ançe, n.p. 968Long continuance. [Obs.]
  10. Pĕr'du-rā'tion, n.p. 968Long continuance; [Obs.] Ainsworth.
  11. Pêr'dy, adv.p. 968
  12. Pêr'die or Pār'diep. 968Certainly; verily; in truth; truly. [Obs.] Spenser.
  13. Pĕr'e-gal, a.p. 968Fully equal. [Obs.] Spenser.
  14. Pĕr'e-gri-nāte, v. i.p. 968To travel from place to place, or from one country to another; to live in a foreign country.
  15. Pĕr'e-gri-nate, a.p. 968Having traveled; foreign. [Obs.]
  16. Pĕr'e-gri-nā'tion, n.p. 968A traveling from one country to another; a wandering; abode in foreign countries. It should not be strange to us if in this our peregrination we do meet with rough passages. Burton.
  17. Pĕr'e-gri-nā'tor, n.p. 969A traveler into foreign countries.
  18. Pĕr'e-grīne, a.p. 969Foreign; not native. [Obs.] Bacon.
  19. Peregrine falconp. 969a species of hawk, or falcon; Falco peregrinus. See FALCON.
  20. Pĕr'e-grīne, n.p. 969A peregrine falcon. See FALCON.
  21. Pĕr'e-grin'i-ty, n.p. 969Strangeness. [Obs.] Cook.
  22. Per-ēmpt', v. t.p. 969(Law.) To kill; to crush or destroy. [Obs.] Ayliffe.
  23. Per-ēm'ption, n.p. 969A killing; a quashing; nonsuit. [Obs.] Ayliffe.
  24. Pĕr'emp-to-ri-ly, adv.p. 969In a peremptory manner; absolutely; positively. Never judge peremptorily on first appearances. S. Richardson.
  25. Pĕr′emp-to-ri-ness, n.p. 969The quality of being peremptory; positiveness; absolute decision; dogmatism. Peremptoriness is of two sorts: one, a magisterialness in matters of opinion; the other, a positiveness in matters of…
  26. Pĕr'emp-to-ry, a.p. 969Precluding debate or expostulation; express; positive; absolute; decisive; authoritative. “Briefly, then, for we are peremptory.” Shak. Think of heaven with hearty purposes and peremptory designs to…
  27. Peremptory challengep. 969Peremptory challenge (Law), a challenge, or right of challenging jurors, without showing cause. Syn.—Decisive; express; absolute; authoritative; arbitrary; dogmatical.
  28. Per-ēn'ni-al, a.p. 969Lasting or continuing without cessation through the year. 2. Hence, continuing without stop or intermission; perpetual; unceasing; never failing. The perennial existence of bodies corporate, and…
  29. Per-ēn'ni-al, n.p. 969(Bot.) A plant which lives or continues more than two years, whether it retains its leaves or not.
  30. Per-ên'ni-al-ly, adv.p. 969Continually; without ceasing.
  31. Per-ěn'ni-brăn'chi-ate, a.p. 969(Physiol.) Having branchiæ or gills through life, as certain inferior amphibians, like the Proteus. Carpenter.
  32. Per-ēn'ni-ty, n.p. 969The quality of being perennial; lasting continuance.
  33. Pĕr'er-rā'tion, n.p. 969A wandering or rambling through various places. Howell.
  34. Pĕr'fect, a.p. 969Brought to consummation or completeness; carried through; completed; filled up; full. Whence even now the tumult of loud mirth Was rife, and perfect in my listening ear. Milton. My strength is made…
  35. Pĕr'fect or Per-fĕct', v. t.p. 969To finish or complete, so as to leave nothing wanting; to give to any thing all that is requisite to its nature and kind; to make consummate. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love…
  36. Pĕr'fect-er or Per-fĕct'er, n.p. 969One who makes perfect. Broome.
  37. Per-fĕct/i-bĭl'i-an, n.p. 969One who holds to perfectibility. Ed. Rev.
  38. Per-fĕct/i-bĭl/i-ty, n.p. 969The quality of being perfectible.
  39. Per-féct'i-ble, a.p. 969Capable of becoming or being made perfect, or of arriving at the utmost perfection of the species.
  40. Per-fĕc'tion, n.p. 969The state of being perfect or complete, so that nothing requisite is wanting; completed culture, skill, or moral excellence; full possession of any thing desirable; perfectness; as, perfection in an…
  41. Per-fĕc'tion, v. t.p. 969To complete; to make perfect. [Obs.]
  42. Per-fĕc'tion-al, a.p. 969Pertaining to perfection. 2. Made complete; perfected. [Obs.] Pearson.
  43. Per-fĕc'tion-āte, v. t.p. 969To make perfect; to perfect. [Rare.] Dryden.
  44. Per-fĕc'tion-ā'tion, n.p. 969The act of perfecting or making perfect.
  45. Per-fĕc'tion-ism, n.p. 969The doctrine of the Perfectionists.
  46. Per-fé’tion-ist, n.p. 969One pretending to have attained to moral perfection; one who believes that some persons actually attain to moral perfection in the present life.
  47. Per-féction-ment, n.p. 969The act of perfecting or making perfect, or the state of being perfect. I. Taylor.
  48. Per-fĕct'ive, a.p. 969Calculated or tending to perfect; conducing to make perfect or bring to perfection; — usually followed by of. “If England, in our memory, hath been sensible of a perfective alteration in her…
  49. Per-fĕct'ive-ly, adv.p. 969In a perfective manner.
  50. Pĕr'fect-ly, adv.p. 969In a perfect manner or degree; to perfection; completely; totally; exactly; accurately. “How perfectly I love her.” Shak. “Sincerely good and perfectly divine.” Milton.
  51. Pĕr'fect-ness, n.p. 969The state or quality of being perfect; perfection; completeness; consummate excellence; fullness; completion. And, above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. Col. iii.…
  52. Per-fĭ'çient, a.p. 969Efficient; effectual. [Rare.]
  53. Per-fĭ'çient, n.p. 969One who performs a work; especially, one who endows a charity.
  54. Per-fĭd'i-oŭs, a.p. 969Guilty of, or involving, perfidy; violating good faith or vows; false to trust or confidence reposed; treacherous; faithless; false; dishonest; as, a perfidious agent; a perfidious friend. “A most…
  55. Per-fīd'i-oüs-ly, adv.p. 969In a perfidious manner; treacherously; by breach of faith or allegiance.
  56. Per-fĭd'i-ōŭs-ness, n.p. 969The quality of being perfidious; treachery; traitorousness; breach of faith, vows, or allegiance.
  57. Pĕr'fi-dy, n.p. 969The act of violating faith, a promise, vow, or allegiance; faithlessness; treachery; the violation of a trust reposed. “Such was his perfidy to this sacred engagement.” De Quincey.
  58. Per-fix', v. t.p. 969To fix; to settle; to agree upon. [Obs. and rare.] Take heed, as you are gentlemen, this quarrel Sleep till the hour perfixed. Beau. & Fl.
  59. Pēr'fla-ble, a.p. 969Capable of being blown through. [Obs.]
  60. Per-flāte', v. t.p. 969To blow through. [Obs.] Harvey.