Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PER-I-PHER'IC, or PER-I-PHERIC-AL, a.

Pertaining to a periphery; constituting a periphery.

PE-RIPH'E-RY, n. [Gr. περι, around, and φερω, to bear.]

The circumference of a circle, ellipsis, or other regular curvilinear figure. – Encyc.

PER'I-PHRASE, n. [s as z. Gr. περιφρασις; περι, about, and φραζω, to speak.]

Circumlocution; a circuit of words; the use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; a figure of rhetoric employed to avoid a common and trite manner of expression. – Encyc.

PER'I-PHRASE, v.i.

To use circumlocution.

PER'I-PHRASE, v.t.

To express by circumlocution.

PER'I-PHRAS-ED, pp.

Expressed by circumlocution.

PER'I-PHRAS-ING, ppr.

Expressing by circumlocution.

PE-RIPH'RA-SIS, n. [See PERIPHRASE.]

PER-I-PHRAS'TIC, or PER-I-PHRAS'TIC-AL, a.

Circumlocutory; expressing or expressed in more words than are necessary; expressing the sense of one word in many.

PER-I-PHRAS'TIC-ALLY, adv.

With circumlocution. – Boswell.

PER'I-PLUS, n. [Gr. περιπλους; περι, about, and πλεω, to sail.]

Circumnavigation; a voyage round a certain sea or sea coast. – Vincent.

PER-IP-NEU-MON'IC, a.

Pertaining to peripneumony; consisting in an inflammation of the lungs.

PER-IP-NEU'MO-NY, n. [Gr. περι, about, and πνευμων, the lungs.]

An inflammation of the lungs. An old and not very correct term, for which Pneumonitis is now substituted.

PER-I-PO-LYG'ON-AL, a. [Gr. περι and polygon.]

In crystalography, having a great number of sides.

PE-RIP'TER-AL, a. [infra.]

Having columns all around.

PE-RIP'TER-OUS, a. [Gr. περι and πτερον.]

Feathered on all sides.

PE-RIP'TER-Y, n. [Gr. περι, and πτερον, a wing, and πετω, to expand.]

In architecture, an edifice or temple environed, on its exterior circumference, by a range of insulated columns, distant from the wall to the extent of the intercolumniation. – Elmes.

PE-RIS'CI-AN, n. [L. Periscii; Gr. περισκιοι; περι, around and σκια, shadow.]

An inhabitant of a frigid zone or within a polar circle, whose shadow moves round, and in the course of the day falls in every point of compass. The Greek word periscii, in the plural, is generally used in geographies; but the English word is preferable.

PER'I-SCOPE, n. [Gr. περι and σκοπεω.]

A general view.

PER'I-SCOPE, n.

A general view, or comprehensive summary. [1841 Addenda only.]

PER-I-SCO'PIC, a.

Viewing on all sides.

PER'ISH, v.i. [Fr. perir, perissant; It. perire; Sp. perecer; from L. pereo, supposed to be compounded of per and eo, to go; literally, to depart wholly.]

1. To die; to lose life in any manner; applied to animals. Men perish by disease or decay, by the sword, by drowning, by hunger or famine, &c.
2. To die; to wither and decay; applied to plants.
3. To waste away; as, a leg or an arm has perished.
4. To be in a state of decay or passing away. Duration, and time which is a part of it, is the idea we have of perishing distance. – Locke.
5. To be destroyed; to come to nothing. Perish the lore that deadens young desire. – Anon.
6. To fail entirely or to be extirpated. – 2 Kings ix.
7. To be burst or ruined; as, the bottles shall perish. – Luke v.
8. To be wasted or rendered useless. – Jer. ix.
9. To be injured or tormented. – 1 Cor. viii.
10. To be lost eternally; to be sentenced to endless misery. – 2 Pet. ii.

PER'ISH, v.t.

To destroy. [Not legitimate.]

PER-ISH-A-BIL'I-TY, n.

Perishableness.

PER'ISH-A-BLE, a.

1. Liable to perish; subject to decay and destruction. The bodies of animals and plants are perishable. The souls of men are not perishable.
2. Subject to speedy decay. Property of a perishable nature, saved from a wreck, may be sold within a year and a day. – Stat. of Conn.