Emily Dickinson Lexicon

perch (-ed, -es), v. [Fr. perche-r < L. pertica, pole, long staff.] (webplay: bird, trees).

1. Roost; alight; balance; poise; pause briefly; settle; lodge.
2. Hang; rest; fix; suspend.
3. Set; position; [fig.] employ; engage; apply.

perchance, adv. [ME < AFr par chance.]

Perhaps; maybe; possibly.

perchance, n. [see perchance, adv.]

Uncertainty; luck; [fig.] fate; fortune; destiny; unpredictable nature of future events.

perdition, n. [ME < OFr perdiciun < L. perděre, make away with, destroy, lose.] (webplay: sinner, soul).

1. Hell; the netherworld; the pit of despair; [fig.] depression; doom; dread.
2. Destruction; death; loss of the soul; the depths of Hades.
3. Satan; Lucifer; diabolic logic; devilish cunning.
4. Condemnation; damnation; guilt; being caught in the act.
5. Sin; transgression; intemperance; debauchery; indulgence; revelry.

perennial, adj. [L. perenni-s < per, through + ann-us, year.] (webplay: leaves).

1. Constant; secure; stable; never failing.
2. Perpetual; [fig.] eternal; everlasting; undying; deathless; unfading.
3. Long-lived; lasting through a succession of years.

perennial, adv. [see perennial, adj.]

Constantly; continually; ceaselessly; at all times.

perfect (-er, -est), adj. [ME < OFr parfit < L. perfect-um, accomplished, performed, completed.] (webplay: becoming, Being, consummate, distinct, endowment, excellence, flower, full, heart, heaven, highest, holiness, imitate, infinite, leave, life, love, nature, new, powers, soul, species, supreme, wanting, worth).

1. Immortal; eternal; everlasting; perpetual; holy; celestial.
2. Exactly like; extremely similar to; closely imitating.
3. Pure; clean; unblemished; flawless.
4. Divine; supremely holy; all-powerful.
5. Full; whole; completely illuminated.
6. Complete; thorough.
7. Entire; total; absolute.
8. Consummate; final; crowning; culminating; climactic.
9. Excellent; wonderful; lacking nothing.

perfect, n. [see perfect, adj.] (webplay: soul).

Saints; righteous ones; guiltless souls; virtuous people.

perfected, verbal adj. [see perfect, adj.] (webplay: Being, life, soul).

1. Consummated; made whole; caused to fulfill a purpose.
2. Finished; completed; fully built.

perfectness, n. [see perfect, adj.] (webplay: absolute, consummate, full).

1. Immortality; the afterlife.
2. Flawlessness; absence of faults.