Dictionary
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.
Per-ên'ni-al-ly, adv. p. 969Continually; without ceasing.Per-ěn'ni-brăn'chi-ate, a. p. 969(Physiol.) Having branchiæ or gills through life, as certain inferior amphibians, like the Proteus. Carpenter.Per-ēn'ni-ty, n. p. 969The quality of being perennial; lasting continuance.Pĕr'er-rā'tion, n. p. 969A wandering or rambling through various places. Howell.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…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…Pĕr'fect-er or Per-fĕct'er, n. p. 969One who makes perfect. Broome.Per-fĕct/i-bĭl'i-an, n. p. 969One who holds to perfectibility. Ed. Rev.Per-fĕct/i-bĭl/i-ty, n. p. 969The quality of being perfectible.Per-féct'i-ble, a. p. 969Capable of becoming or being made perfect, or of arriving at the utmost perfection of the species.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…Per-fĕc'tion, v. t. p. 969To complete; to make perfect. [Obs.]Per-fĕc'tion-al, a. p. 969Pertaining to perfection. 2. Made complete; perfected. [Obs.] Pearson.Per-fĕc'tion-āte, v. t. p. 969To make perfect; to perfect. [Rare.] Dryden.Per-fĕc'tion-ā'tion, n. p. 969The act of perfecting or making perfect.Per-fĕc'tion-ism, n. p. 969The doctrine of the Perfectionists.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.Per-féction-ment, n. p. 969The act of perfecting or making perfect, or the state of being perfect. I. Taylor.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…Per-fĕct'ive-ly, adv. p. 969In a perfective manner.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.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.…Per-fĭ'çient, a. p. 969Efficient; effectual. [Rare.]Per-fĭ'çient, n. p. 969One who performs a work; especially, one who endows a charity.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…Per-fīd'i-oüs-ly, adv. p. 969In a perfidious manner; treacherously; by breach of faith or allegiance.Per-fĭd'i-ōŭs-ness, n. p. 969The quality of being perfidious; treachery; traitorousness; breach of faith, vows, or allegiance.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.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.Pēr'fla-ble, a. p. 969Capable of being blown through. [Obs.]Per-flāte', v. t. p. 969To blow through. [Obs.] Harvey.Per-flā'tion, n. p. 969The act of perflating, or blowing through. [Obs.] Woodward.Per-fō'li-ate, a. p. 969(Bot.) Surrounding the stem at the base; as, a perfoliate leaf.Pĕr'fo-rāte, v. t. p. 969To bore through; to pierce with a pointed instrument; to penetrate; to make a hole or holes through by boring or driving.Pĕr'fo-rate or Pĕr'fo-rā'ted, a. p. 969(Bot.) Pierced with holes, or having transparent dots resembling holes.Pĕr'fo-rā'tion, n. p. 969The act of perforating, or of boring or piercing through. 2. A hole or aperture passing through any thing, or into the interior of a substance.Pĕr'fo-ra-tive, a. p. 969Having power to perforate or pierce.Pêr'fo-rā'tor, n. p. 969An instrument that bores or perforates.Per-fōrçe', adv. p. 969By force or violence; violently; of necessity; absolutely. Bring him on perforce To speak to their affliction. Akenside.Per-fōrçe', v. t. p. 969To force; to compel. [Obs.]Per-fōrm', v. t. p. 969To carry through; to bring to completion; to achieve; to accomplish; to execute; to do. What in an age they with incessant toil And hands innumerable scarce perform. Milton. 2. To execute; to…Per-fôrm', v. i. p. 969To act a part; to acquit one's self in any work; especially, to play upon a musical instrument, to go through with a public part, as in a drama, pantomime, or other exhibition of skill and capacity…Per-fōrm'a-ble, a. p. 969Admitting of being performed or done; capable of being executed or fulfilled; practicable.Per-fōrm'ance, n. p. 969The act of performing, or the condition of being performed; execution or completion of any thing; achievement; accomplishment; as, the performance of work or of an undertaking; the performance of…Per-fōrm'er, n. p. 969One who performs; an actor; especially, one who shows skill and training in an art, as music, the drama, &c.Pēr'fri-cāte, v. t. p. 969To rub over. [Obs.]Per-fū'ma-to-ry, a. p. 969Bestowing perfume or odor; perfuming. Leigh.Pêr'fūme or Per-fūme', n. p. 969The scent, odor, or odoriferous particles emitted from sweet-smelling substances; fragrance; aroma. No rich perfumes refresh the fruitful field. Pope. 2. A substance that emits a scent or odor which…Per-fūme', v. t. p. 970To fill or impregnate with a grateful odor; to scent. And Carmel's flowery top perfumes the skies. Pope.Per-fūm'er, n. p. 970One who, or that which, perfumes. 2. One whose trade it is to sell perfumes. Bacon.Per-fūm'er-y, n. p. 970Perfumes in general. 2. The preparation of perfumes.Per-fūn'c-to-ri-ly, adv. p. 970In a perfunctory manner; in a manner to satisfy external form; carelessly; negligently.Per-fūnc'to-ri-ness, n. p. 970Negligent performance; carelessness. Whitlock.Per-fŭnk'to-ry, a. p. 970Done without interest or zeal, and merely to get rid of a duty; performed mechanically and as a thing of rote; hence, indifferent; slight; careless; negligent. The medical profession, in the daily…Per-fūnct'ū-rāte, v. t. p. 970To perform in a perfunctory manner; to do mechanically or negligently.Per-fūse', v. t. p. 970To sprinkle, pour, or spread over. [Rare.] Harvey.Per-fū'sion, n. p. 970The act of perfusing; the act of pouring or sprinkling over.Per-fū'sive, a. p. 970Sprinkling; adapted to spread or sprinkle.Pĕr'ga-mē'ne-oŭs, a. p. 970Like parchment.Pĕr'ġe, v. i. p. 970To go; to proceed;—used chiefly in the imperative as an exclamation, go on! on!