Emily Dickinson Lexicon
Lexicon: periphrasis – pernicious
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periphrasis, n. [L. < Gk περί-, round about + φρἁζειν, declare.]
Euphemism; circumlocution; circuit; circuitous expression; roundabout way of speaking; indirect reference to a sensitive topic or unpleasant fact; rhetorical figure using many words in place of a single term.
perish (-ed, -es, -ing), v. [ME < OFr < L. perīre, pass away entirely, come to nothing, be lost or destroyed, lose one's life.] (webplay: deadens, die, distance, fail, go, life, lose, men, misery, nature, nothing, passing away, sentenced, souls, time, waste away, wholly).
- Die; depart mortal existence.
- Disappear; fade; wilt; expire; pass away.
- Decay; decompose.
- Fail.
- Cease to exist.
- Be erased; be lost; be removed; be eradicated.
- Be destroyed.
- [Fig.] suffer; endure torment.
- [Fig.] yearn intensely; desire to the point of suffering.
- [Fig.] lose importance.
- [Fig.] be overcome.
- [Fig.] be finished; be concluded.
perished, verbal adj. [see perish, v.] (webplay: depart).
- Dead; departed; deceased; lost; absent; missing from mortal existence.
- Vanished; [fig.] set; past the horizon.
perishing, n. [see perish, v.] (webplay: fail, men).
Death; loss of life; departure from mortality.
perjury, n. [AFr < L. perjūruium, false oath, oath-breaking.] (webplay: willfully).
- Dishonesty; deceit; false statement; hypocritical assertion; insincere utterance.
- Sin; transgression; lawbreaking; violation of a commandment.
- Betrayal; disloyalty; treason; denial of the truth.
- Deception; fraud; illusion.
permanence, n. [Medieval L. permanēnt-em, permanent.] (webplay: lasting, long).
Constancy; continuity; endurance; [fig.] resurrection; immortality; deathlessness; eternity; perennial life, as of a flower.
permission, n. [L. permissiōn-em; see permit, v.] (webplay: given, God).
- Liberty; leave; freedom; consent; approval; authorization.
- Opportunity; chance.
permit, n. [see permit, v.]
License; privilege; right; permission.
permit (-s, -ed, -ting), v. [L. per, + mittěre, let go, let loose, send.] (webplay: give, God, liberty, silent).
- Allow; enable; grant liberty to.
- Give; grant; provide; offer; make available to.
pernicious, adj. [Fr. pernicieux < L. perniciōs-us, destructive, baneful, ruinous.] (webplay: intemperance).
Destructive; injurious; tortuous; painful; agonizing; poignant.