Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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!Pĕr'go-lȧ or Pĕr'gu-lȧ, n. p. 970Pĕr'gu-lȧ, n. [Lat.] (Anc. Arch.) A sort of gallery or balcony in a house. Some suppose it to be an arbor in a garden, or a terrace overhanging one. Brande. Near this is a pergola, or stand built to…Per-hăps', adv. p. 970By chance; it may be; peradventure; possibly. Perhaps her love, perhaps her kingdom, charmed him. Smith.Pĕr'i p. 970A prefix from the Greek περί, around, and used in many words derived from the Greek, and signifying with, around, about, near, and the like.Pē'ri, n. p. 970(Per. Myth.) An imaginary being of the female sex, like an elf or fairy, represented as a descendant of fallen angels, excluded from paradise till their penance is accomplished.Pĕr'i-ā'gūa, n. p. 970See PIROGUE.Pĕr'i-anth, n. p. 970(Bot.) (a.) That calyx which envelops only a single flower, and is immediately contiguous to it. (b.) The leaves of the flower generally, especially when the calyx and corolla are not readily…Pĕr'ĭ-ān'thĭ-ŭm, n. p. 970(Bot.) The same as PERI-ANTH.Pēr'i-āpt, n. p. 970A charm worn to defend against disease or mischief; an amulet. “Words, and sigils, and peri-apts, and other cabalistical mysteries.” W. Scott. Goes wandering, at length, with its pack of amulets…Pĕr'i-au'ger, n. p. 970See PIROGUE.Pēr'i-blēp'sis, n. p. 970(Med.) The wild look that accompanies delirium. Dunglison.Pe-rib'o-lōs, n. p. 970(Arch.) A court entirely round a temple, surrounded by a wall. BrandePĕr'i-căr'di-ac or Pĕr'i-căr'di-al, a. p. 970Of, or relating to, the pericardium. Dunglison.Pēr'i-cār'di-an or Pēr'i-cār'die, a. p. 970Relating to the pericardium.Pēr'i-car-di'tis, n. p. 970(Med.) Inflammation of the pericardium. Dunglison.Pēr'i-căr'di-ŭm, n. p. 970(Anat.) The membranous sac which incloses the heart. It is a serous membrane, and contains a small quantity of lubricating liquid.Pĕr'i-cărp, n. p. 970(Bot.) The ripened ovary; the walls of the fruit.Pĕr'i-cārp'i-al, a. p. 970(Bot.) Of, or belonging to, a pericarp. Lindley.Pĕr'i-cärp'ic, a. p. 970Of, or pertaining to, a pericarp.Pĕr'i-chæth, n. p. 970The same as PERICHÆTIUM.Pĕr'i-chæ'tial, a. p. 970Pertaining to the perichætium.Pĕr'i-chæ'ti-ŭm, n. p. 970(Bot.) The leafy involucre surrounding the seta of mosses.Pĕr'i-chōn'dri-ŭm, n. p. 970(Anat.) The fibrous membrane which immediately invests the cartilages.Pĕr'i-clāse, n. p. 970(Min.) A grayish or dark-green mineral, consisting of magnesia with a small proportion of protoxide of iron. Dana.Pe-rĭc'li-tāte, v. t. p. 970To endanger. [Obs.]Pe-rĭc/li-tā'tion, n. p. 970A hazarding or exposing to peril. [Obs.]Pĕ-rĭc'o-pe, n. p. 970A selection or extract from a book; especially, a selection from the Gospels and Epistles, appointed to be read in the churches and preached upon.Pĕr'i-crā'ni-ŭm, n. p. 970(Anat.) The fibrous membrane that immediately invests the skull. Coxe.Pe-rĭc'u-lōŭs, a. p. 970Dangerous; hazardous; full of peril. [Obs.] Browne.Pĕr'i-dŏt, n. p. 970(Min.) Chrysolite. Dana.Pĕr′i-drōme, n. p. 970(Anc. Arch.) The space between the columns of a peripheral temple and the walls inclosing the cell. Guilt.Pĕr/i-ē'cian, n. p. 970An inhabitant of the opposite side of the globe, in the same parallel of latitude.Pĕr/i-ēr'gy, n. p. 970Needless caution or diligence. [Obs.] 2. (Rhet.) A bombastic or labored style. [Rare.]Pĕr'i-gēe or Pĕr'i-gē'um, n. p. 970(Astron.) That point in the orbit of the moon which is nearest to the earth;—opposed to apogee. It is used rarely of the nearest points of other orbits, as of a comet, a planet, and the like. Hutton.Pĕr'i-gē'an, a. p. 970Pertaining to the perigee. Perigean tides, those spring tides which occur soon after the moon passes her perigee.Pĕr'i-gōne or Pĕr'i-gō'ni-üm, n. p. 970Same as PERIANTH.Pèr'i-gōrd Pie p. 970A pie made of truffles, much esteemed by epicures.Pĕr'i-grāph, n. p. 970A careless or inaccurate delineation of any thing. 2. (Anat.) The white lines or impressions that appear on the musculus rectus of the abdomen.Pĕr'i-gȳn'ĭ-ŭm, n. p. 970(Bot.) Some unusual appendage about the pistil, as the bottle-shaped body in the sedges, and bristles or scales in some of the Cyperaceæ.