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.
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.Pĕr'sism, n. p. 973An idiom or manner of speech peculiar to the Persians.Per-sīst', v. i. p. 973To continue fixed in a course of conduct against opposing motives; to persevere. If they persist in pointing their batteries against particular persons, no laws of war forbid the making reprisals.…Per-sist'ence or Per-sist'en-cy, n. p. 974The state of being persistent; steady pursuit of what is undertaken; perseverance in a good or evil course, more generally in that which is evil and injurious to others, or unadvisable; obstinacy…Per-sĭst'ent, a. p. 974Inclined to persist or hold firm; tenacious; fixed; immovable; persistive. “Persistent as they have been.” I. Taylor. Modred’s narrow, foxy face. Heart-hiding smile, and gray, persistent eye.…Per-sist'ent-ly, adv. p. 974In a persistent manner.Per-sĭst’ing, p. a. p. 974Inclined to persist; persistent.Per-sist'ing-ly, adv. p. 974In a persisting manner; perseveringly; steadily.Per-sist'ive, a. p. 974The same as PERSISTENT. Shak.Per-sôlve', v. t. p. 974To pay the whole of; to pay completely. [Obs.]Pêr'son, n. p. 974The exhibition or representation of a character in dialogue, fiction, or on the stage. These tables, Cicero pronounced under the person of Crassus, were of more use and authority than all the books…Pêr'son, v. t. p. 974To represent as a person; to make to resemble; to image. [Obs.] Milton.Pêr'son-a-ble, a. p. 974Having a well-formed body or person; graceful; of good appearance; as, a personable man or woman. “Wise, war-like, personable, kind.” Spenser. 2. (Law.) Enabled to maintain pleas in court. Cowell. 3.…Pêr'son-age, n. p. 974Character assumed or represented. The Venetians, naturally grave, love to give in to the follies of such seasons, when disguised in a false personage. Addison. 2. An individual distinguished by rank…Pêr'son-al, a. p. 974Belonging or pertaining to a person; as, (a.) Belonging to men or women, or to persons and not to things. “Every man so termed by way of personal difference only.” Hooker. (b.) Relating to an…Pêr'son-al, n. p. 974A movable. [Obs.]Pĕr'son-al-īsm, n. p. 974The quality of being personal.Pĕr'son-ăl'i-ty, n. p. 974That which constitutes, or pertains to, a person. Personality is individuality existing in itself, but with a nature as a ground. Coleridge. But personality, as we can conceive it, is essentially a…Pêr'son-al-īze, v. t. p. 974To make personal.Pĕr'son-al-ly, adv. p. 974In a personal or direct manner; by bodily presence; not by representative or substitute; as, to be personally present; to deliver a letter personally; they personally declared their assent to the…Pêr'son-al-ty, n. p. 974The state of being a person; personality. [Rare.] 2. (Law.) Personal estate.Pêr'son-āte, v. t. p. 974To assume the character of; to represent by a fictitious appearance; to represent by a fictitious or assumed character; to counterfeit; to feign; as, a personated devotion. Hammond. 2. To set forth…Pĕr'son-ate, a. p. 974(Bot.) Having a projection in the throat nearly closing the orifice; — said of a bilabiate corolla, as the snapdragon.Pêr'son-ā'tion, n. p. 974The act of personating, or of counterfeiting the person of another. Bacon.Pĕr'son-ā'tor, n. p. 974One who personates. B. Jonson.Pêr'son-ē'i-ty, n. p. 974Personality. [Rare.] I can not meditate too often or too devotionally on the personality of God. Coleridge.Per-sŏn'i-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 974The act of personifying. 2. (Rhet.) A figure, in which an inanimate being is represented as animated, or endowed with personality; prosopopœia; as, “Confusion heard his voice.” Milton.Per-sŏn'i-fy, v. t. p. 974To regard or treat as a person; to represent as a rational being.