Dictionary: PER – PERZ

• PERAGRATE
vb. to wander through the country; to rove about; to travel over or through …1542 rare

• PERAMBULATOR
n. a brakevan (caboose) …1977 US sl.

• PERASPERATE
vb. to vex …1623

• PERATHA
n. a herd of cattle or horses …1940 Amer. dial.

• PERCEIT
n. perception, understanding, comprehension …1399 obs. rare

• PERCEIVANCE
n. heed,  notice …1916 Amer. dial.

• PERCEIVANT
adj. perceiving, observant, observing, understanding …c1400 obs. rare

• PERCEIVERANT
n. 1517 obs. rare  – a person who perceives something; an observer

• PERCENTAGE
n. a profit; an advantage …1948 UK sl., orig. military

• PERCENTAGE DICE
n. dice that have been altered to favour a certain roll …1975 US sl.

• PERCENTAGE JOINT
n. a carnival concession that relies on volume for profit …1985 US sl.

• PERCENTAGE PLAYER
n. a  gambler who appreciates odds and percentages, absorbing losses in the belief that the odds will ultimately favour him …1961 US sl.

• PERCENTER
n. an ex-girlfriend …1982 Bahamas

• PERCH BUG
n. a dragonfly or damselfly nymph; rarely, the adult …1968 Amer. dial.

• PERCLOSE
n. 1. close, conclusion, esp. of a sentence, discourse, or writing …a1300 obs.
n. 2. a partition, screen, or railing, serving to enclose or shut off a space in a building; a screen or railing in a church enclosing an altar, a tomb, etc., or separating a chapel, etc. from the main body of the church …c1400
n. 3. an enclosed space, enclosure, cloister, closet; esp. one in a building, separated from the main part by a screen or railing …1445-6 obs.
vb. 1. to enclose; to fence in or shut off with a screen, railing, etc. …1577
vb. 2. to bring to a close, to close, to conclude …1610 obs.

• PERCOLATE!
int. let it happen! …1960s Amer. sl.

• PERCOLATOR
n. a good time; a party; a rent party …1946 US sl.

• PERCONTATORIAL
adj. given to questioning, inquisitive …1853 rare

• PERCULSIVE
adj. characterized by giving a shock …1609 obs.

• PERDIDDLE
n. a car with only one working headlight …1959 Amer. dial.

• PERDIDDO
n. a car with only one working headlight …1959 Amer. dial.

• PERDIDO
n. a desperado, a desperate man, a ruined man …a1734 obs. rare

• PERDIE
adv. certainly, truly, indeed, assuredly …c1290 arch.
int. By God! …1413 arch.

• PERDURANT
adj. lasting, continuous, permanent …1670 rare

• PERENDINATE
vb. 1. to put off till the day after tomorrow; to defer from day to day …1656 rare
vb. 2. to stay from day to day, to make an indefinite stay …1656 rare

• PERERRATE
vb. to wander up and down …1623 obs. rare

• PERF
adj. perfect …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• PERFECKLE
adj. perfect …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• PERFECTIONATE
vb. to bring to perfection; to make perfect or complete …1570 rare

• PERFECTLY KILLING
adj. 1. resplendently beautiful; gorgeous …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
adj. 2. excellent; first-rate …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• PERFECT SIGHT
n. 1. something unattractive …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 2. an unattractive person …Bk1942 Amer. sl.

• PERFORATE
vb. to possess carnally …Bk1903 sl.

• PERFORMANCE
n. a fuss …1936 sl.

• PERFORM ON
vb. to possess carnally …Bk1903 sl.

• PERFUMED PUSSY
n. a skunk …1966 Amer. dial.

• PERFUME KITTY
n. a skunk …1966 Amer. dial.

• PERFUME MERCHANT
n. a skunk …1946 Amer. dial.

• PERFUME PUSSY
n. a skunk …1966 Amer. dial.

• PERGRACIL
adj. lean, slender …1623 obs. rare

• PERHENDINANCER
n. a sojourner, a lodger …1489 obs. rare

• PERICLITATE
adj. exposed to peril …1525 obs.
n. to expose to peril, endanger, risk, hazard …1623 obs.

• PERICULOUS
adj. dangerous, hazardous, full of peril …1547 obs.

• PERIODICITY RAG
n. the ‘menstrual cloth’ …Bk1893 sl.

• PERIPATECIAN
n. one given to walking or travelling about; a pedestrian …1598 obs.

• PERIPATETICATE
vb. with it: to walk on foot …1793 nonce word obs.

• PERISH
vb. to consume food …1927 Amer. dial.

• PERISHED
adj. 1. paralyzed …1921 Amer. dial.
adj. 2. exhausted, esp. by exposure to heat or cold; wasted, withered …1940 Amer. dial.

• PERISHED OUT
adj. 1884 Amer. dial. – dead

• PERISHER
n. 1. 1896 sl. – a person, usually implying contempt or pity
n. 2. 1935 sl. – a mischievous child
n. 3. 1948 sl. – a qualifying course for submarine commanders

• PERISH THE PACK
vb. 1808 Sc. – to squander one’s fortune, to be or become destitute through extravagance, to be at the end of one’s resources

• PERISH TO DEATH
vb. 1940 Amer. dial. – to die a slow death; to waste away

• PERJINKETY
adj. 1. B1900 Eng. dial. – apt to take offense
adj. 2. 1887 Sc. – exact, precise, minutely accurate; extreme as to neatness, fussy, finical

• PERK UP
vb. a1656 – to cheer up

• PERLAVER
n. 1. M18 – chat, talk, conversation
n. 2. M18 – wearisome, idle or insincere talk
n. 3. 20C – fussiness; a fuss

• PERLEGATE
vb. 1597 obs. rare – to read through

• PERMILLION
n. 1963 Amer. dial. – a melon

• PERNEGATE
vb. 1623 obs. – to deny absolutely

• PERNEL(E)
n. 14C Brit. sl. – a priest’s mistress; a sexually loose woman; a prostitute

• PERNICATED
adj. B1900 Amer. sl. – swaggering, conceited

• PERNICIOUS
adj. 1. 1521 – having the quality of destroying; tending to destroy, kill, or injure; destructive, ruinous; fatal
adj. 2. 1555 rare or obs. – villainous, wicked, evil, malicious
adj. 3. a1656 rare – rapid, swift, quick

• PERNICKETINESS
n. 1890 Amer. dial. – fussiness, preciseness

• PERNICKETTY • PERNICKETY • PERNICKITY
adj. 1834 Amer. dial. – fussy, finicky, particular, meticulous, precise; crotchety, cranky; disagreeable

• PERNOCTALIAN
n. 1846 obs. rare – one who remains awake or watches all night

• PERNOCTATE
vb. 1623 obs. rare – to stay all night; to pass the night

• PERP
n. 1981 US sl. – the perpetrator of a crime

• PERPOTATION
n. 1623 obs. rare – the act of drinking excessively; a drinking bout; thorough drunkenness

• PEROXIDE BLONDE
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – artificially blonde hair

• PERPETUAL EMOTION
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – love

• PERQUIRE
adj. 1742 Sc. obs. – accurate, exact
adv. 1775 Sc. obs. – by heart, by memory; hence, perfectly, accurately, exactly
vb. 1597 obs. rare – to search through, or make diligent search into; to inquire diligently into

• PERQUISQUILIAN
adj. 1647 nonce word obs. – thoroughly trifling or worthless

• PERRICK
n. 1677 Eng. dial. – a small field or enclosure; a paddock

• PERRIDICULOUS
adj. c1600 obs. rare – thoroughly ridiculous

• PERRY-MOUCHER
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – the blackberry

• PERSCRUTE
vb. a1545 obs. rare – to scrutinize thoroughly; to make a thorough search or inquiry; to investigate 

• PERSECATE
vb. 1623 obs. rare – to cut

• PERSKWEE
adj. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – splendid, fine, excellent, first-rate

• PERSNICKERTY
adj. 1965 Amer. dial. – fussy, finicky, particular, meticulous, precise; crotchety, cranky; disagreeable, obstinate

• PERSNICKETY
adj. 1. 1905 Amer. dial. – disagreeable, cranky, crotchety; obstinate
adj. 2. 1956 Amer. dial. – fussy, finicky, particular, meticulous, precise
adj. 3. 1959 Amer. dial. – snobbish; vain
adj. 4. 1965 Amer. dial. – thrifty

• PERSONATE
vb. 1927 Amer. dial. – to call by name; to designate specifically

• PERSPIRATE
vb. 1822 rare – to perspire; to sweat

• PERSPRIATION
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – perspiration

• PERSUADER
n. World War I Amer. sl. – a bayonet

• PERSUADING PLATE
n. Bk1896 sl. – a short crowbar, used by housebreakers

• PERTOLERATE
vb. 1623 obs. rare – to endure to the end

• PERT PONY
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a spirited horse

• PERTROUBLE
vb. c1470 chiefly Sc. obs. – to perturb, to trouble greatly

• PERTY
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something beautiful or attractive

• PERUSE
vb. 1. 1853 Amer. dial. – to wander, to saunter, to prowl; to walk in a leisurely manner; to make one’s way
vb. 2. 1940 Amer. dial. – to be in tolerably good health

• PERV(E)
n. 1944 sl., orig. US – someone with unconventional sexual tastes

• PERV(E) AT
vb. 1941 sl., chiefly Aust. – to ogle