Lexicon: periphrasis – pernicious

a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u | v | w | x | y | z |

1234567891011121314151617181920
2122232425262728293031323334353637383940
4142434445464748495051525354555657585960
616263646566676869707172

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).

  1. Die; depart mortal existence.
  2. Disappear; fade; wilt; expire; pass away.
  3. Decay; decompose.
  4. Fail.
  5. Cease to exist.
  6. Be erased; be lost; be removed; be eradicated.
  7. Be destroyed.
  8. [Fig.] suffer; endure torment.
  9. [Fig.] yearn intensely; desire to the point of suffering.
  10. [Fig.] lose importance.
  11. [Fig.] be overcome.
  12. [Fig.] be finished; be concluded.

perished, verbal adj. [see perish, v.] (webplay: depart).

  1. Dead; departed; deceased; lost; absent; missing from mortal existence.
  2. 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).

  1. Dishonesty; deceit; false statement; hypocritical assertion; insincere utterance.
  2. Sin; transgression; lawbreaking; violation of a commandment.
  3. Betrayal; disloyalty; treason; denial of the truth.
  4. 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).

  1. Liberty; leave; freedom; consent; approval; authorization.
  2. 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).

  1. Allow; enable; grant liberty to.
  2. 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.