Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Pēr'pent-stōne, n. p. 972See PERPENDER.Per-pĕs'sion, n. p. 972Suffering; endurance. [Obs.] Pearson.Pēr'pe-trāte, v. t. p. 972To do or perform, as a base or hurtful act; to execute, in a bad sense; to commit; to be guilty of. Can we conceive a disregard in heaven What the worst perpetrable, or best endure? Young.Pĕr'pe-trā'tion, n. p. 973The act of perpetrating, or of committing, a crime. Wotton. 2. The thing perpetrated; an evil action.Pēr'pe-trā'tor, n. p. 973One who perpetrates.Per-pĕt'ū-a-ble, a. p. 973Capable of being perpetuated or continued. Varieties are perpetuable, like species. A. Gray.Per-pĕt'ū-al, a. p. 973Never ceasing; continuing indefinitely or infinitely; unending; not subject to, or suffering, cessation or interruption; everlasting; enduring; incessant. “The kingdom of perpetual night.” Shak.…Per-pĕt'ū-al-ly, adv. p. 973In a perpetual manner; constantly; continually. The Bible and Common Prayer Book, in the vulgar tongue, being perpetually read in churches, have proved a kind of standard for language. Swift.Per-pĕt'ū-al-ty, n. p. 973The state or condition of being perpetual. [Obs.]Per-pĕt'ū-āte, v. t. p. 973To make perpetual; to cause to endure, or to be continued, indefinitely; to preserve from extinction or oblivion; to eternize.Per-pĕt′ū-ate, a. p. 973Made perpetual; perpetuated. The trees and flowers remain, By Nature’s care perpetuate and self-sown. Southey.Per-pĕt'ū-ā'ted, p. a. p. 973Made perpetual; continued through eternity, or for an indefinite time.Per-pĕt'ū-ā'tion, n. p. 973The act of making perpetual, or of preserving from extinction through an endless existence, or for an indefinite period of time.Pĕr'pe-tū'i-ty, n. p. 973The state or quality of being perpetual; endless duration; continued, uninterrupted existence, or duration for an indefinite period of time; as, the perpetuity of laws and institutions; the…Per-plĕx’, v. t. p. 973To make intricate; to involve; to entangle; to make complicated and difficult to be understood or unraveled. What was thought obscure, perplexed, and too hard for our weak parts, will lie open to the…Per-pléx’, a. p. 973Intricate; difficult. [Obs.] Glanville.Per-pléx'ed-ly, adv. p. 973In a perplexed manner; intricately; with involution.Per-plēx'ed-ness, n. p. 973The state of being perplexed; perplexity; embarrassment.Per-plex'i-ty, n. p. 973The state of being perplexed; intricacy; entanglement; embarrassment; doubt. “Into perplexity and new amaze.” Milton. Perplexity not suffering them to be idle, they think and do, as it were, in a…Per-plĕx'ive-ness, n. p. 973The quality of being perplexing; tendency to perplex or embarrass. [Obs.]Per-plēx'ly, adv. p. 973In a perplexed manner; perplexedly. [Obs.] Milton.Per-plēx'tly, adv. p. 973Perplexedly. [Obs.]Pĕr'po-tā'tion, n. p. 973The act of drinking largely. [Obs.]Pēr'qui-site, n. p. 973An allowance paid in money or things, beyond the ordinary salary or fixed wages for services rendered; especially, a fee allowed by law to an officer for a specific service. “The pillage of a place…Pēr'qui-sit-ed, a. p. 973Supplied with perquisites. [Obs.] Scroope.Pēr'qui-si'tion, n. p. 973An accurate inquiry or search. [Rare.] Our hero, who had attended Evan Dhu during his perquisitions, was much struck with the ingenuity which he displayed in collecting information. W. Scott.Pēr'ri-er, n. p. 973A kind of short mortar much used for stone-shot. [Obs.] Halliwell.Pēr'rie, n. p. 973A precious stone; a jewel. [Obs.]Pĕr'ron, n. p. 973(Arch.) A staircase outside of a building, or a flight of steps leading into the first story. Gwilt.Pĕr'ro-quĕt', n. p. 973See PARO-QUET. Perroquet auk (Ornith.), a bird of the genus Alca (A. psittacula) of Linnæus, or of the genus Phaleris (P. psittacula) of Temminck; a species of auk. Eng. Cyc.Perruquier, n. p. 973One who makes perukes or wigs.Pĕr'ry, n. p. 973The fermented juice of pears; a liquor prepared from pears in the same manner as cider from apples.Pēr'sant, a. p. 973Piercing. [Obs.] Spenser.Pěr'scru-tā'tion, n. p. 973A searching thoroughly; minute search or inquiry.Pēr'se-cot, n. p. 973A kind of cordial made of the kernels of apricots, nectarines, and the like, with refined spirit; persicot.Pēr'se-cūte, v. t. p. 973To pursue in a manner to injure, vex, or afflict; to cause to suffer pain from hatred or malignity; to harass; to beset in an annoying way. 2. Especially, to afflict, harass, or punish, for adherence…Pĕr'se-cū'tion, n. p. 973The act or practice of persecuting, or the state of being persecuted. “Whence heavy persecution shall arise?” Milton.Per-sēe'ū-tive, a. p. 973Following; persecuting.Pēr'se-eū'tor, n. p. 973One who persecutes. “Persecutor I am sure thou art.” Shak. Henry rejected the pope’s supremacy, but retained every corruption beside, and became a cruel persecutor. Swift.Pēr'se-eū'trix, n. p. 973A female who persecutes.Pēr'se-pōl'i-tan, a. p. 973(Geog.) Of, or pertaining to, Persepolis in Persia.Pēr'se-pōl'i-tan, n. p. 973An inhabitant of Persepolis.Pĕr'se-ūs, n. p. 973(Myth.) A Grecian legendary hero, son of Jupiter and Danaë, who slew Medusa. 2. (Astron.) A constellation of the northern hemisphere, near Taurus and Cassiopeia.Per-sĕv'er, v. i. p. 973To persevere. [Obs.] Be lusty, free, persever in thy service, And all is well.Pēr'se-vēr'ance, n. p. 973The act of persevering or persisting in any thing undertaken; continued pursuit or prosecution of any business or enterprise begun. “The king, becoming graces, perseverance, mercy, holiness.” Shak.…Pĕr/se-vĕr'ant, a. p. 973Inclined to persevere; constant in pursuit of an undertaking; persevering. [Obs.] Ainsworth.Pĕr'se-vĕr'ant-ly, adv. p. 973In a perseverant manner; perseveringly. [Obs.]Pĕr·se·vĕre', v. i. p. 973To persist in any business or enterprise undertaken; to maintain a purpose against counter motives or influences; to pursue steadily any design or course commenced; not to give over or abandon what…Pêr'se-vêr'ing-ly, adv. p. 973In a persevering manner; with persistence.Pêr'sian, a. p. 973(Geog.) Of, or pertaining to, Persia, or the Persians, or their language.Pĕr'sian, n. p. 973(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Persia. 2. The language spoken in Persia. 3. (Anc. Arch.) A male figure employed to support an entablature instead of a column. Wade.Pêr'sian-bêr'ry, n. p. 973A sort of berry used in dyeing yellow, being the fruit of a plant of the genus Rhamnus (R. tinctoria). Ure.Pêr·si-ä'nî, n. pl. p. 973Venetian blinds. E. B. Browning.Pêr'sian-wheel, n. p. 973(Mech.) A contrivance for raising water to some height above the level of a stream, by means of a wheel with pendent buckets on its rim; a noria. [See Illust. of Noria.]Pêr'sie, n. p. 973The Persian language.Pĕr'sic, a. p. 973Of, or relating to, Persia; Persian. 2. Having figures of men instead of columns to support an entablature; — said of an order of architecture.Pêr'si-cōt, n. p. 973A cordial made of the kernels of apricots, nectarines, &c. See PERSECOT.Persiflage, n. p. 973Frivolous or bantering talk, or style of treating any subject, whether trifling or serious. Mrs. H. More.Per-sim'mon, n. p. 973(Bot.) A tree and its fruit (the Diospyros Virginiana), found from New York southward. The fruit is like a plum, and very harsh and astringent, but after exposure to frost, becomes luscious and…Pêr'sis, n. p. 973A kind of coloring matter obtained from lichens, the mass being of a drier character than archil. Simmonds.