📖 P — The English dictionary · page 19

perambulator — Everyday, meaning 1: A pram: a small carriage on wheels in which a baby is pushed along by a nurse.↗ Example: They are the children who fall out of their perambulators when the nurse looks away.↗

perceive — Everyday, meaning 1: To notice or become aware of something through the senses: perceive a sound.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To understand or think of something in a certain way.↗ e.g. She was perceived as shy.↗ Example: Some animals can perceive sounds we cannot hear.↗ · Bats perceive objects by echoes.↗ · He perceived a change in her voice.↗ · The plan was perceived as unfair.↗ · Colour is perceived by cells in the eye.↗ · How do others perceive our school?↗ · The Ant, perceiving his design, stung him in the foot.↗ · Moreover, he failed to perceive that according to the Sefer Yetzirali, there are ten double letters and not only seven.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · The first to perceive that max means vowels was Dunash Ibn 'J'amim *'), who explained that by the three mother letters tPOS the Sefer Yczirah meant the three vowel letters "x.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · He passeth on also, but I perceive Him not.↗ (Writings JOB.9.11, JPS 1917)↗ · Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; (Writings JOB.23.8, JPS 1917)↗ · Go from the presence of a foolish man, for thou wilt not perceive the lips of knowledge.↗ (Writings PRO.14.7, JPS 1917)↗

perceived — Everyday, meaning 1: Noticed or became aware of something, by seeing, hearing or understanding.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) Understood or thought of someone or something in a certain way: «He was perceived as shy.».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (adjective) Believed to be so, though perhaps not really: a perceived danger.↗ Example: She perceived a faint smell of smoke.↗ · He was perceived as the cleverest boy in class.↗ · The owl perceived the mouse in the dark.↗ · The perceived danger was bigger than the real one.↗ · How the colour is perceived depends on the light.↗ · Subsequently, the scientist perceived a pattern in the results.↗ · After a while he perceived both giants.↗ · And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the horn, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off.↗ (Torah EXO.20.18, JPS 1917)↗ · And after that our father Abraham had perceived.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · The Ten ineffable Sephiroth have the appearance of the Lightning flash", their origin is unseen and no end is perceived.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · And I also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.↗ (Writings ECC.2.14, JPS 1917)↗ · Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.↗ (Prophets 2SA.14.1, JPS 1917)↗ · And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, for his kingdom was exalted exceedingly, for His people Israel's sake.↗ (Writings 1CH.14.2, JPS 1917)↗

percent — Everyday, meaning 1: Out of every hundred; a part of 100.↗ The sign is %.↗ «50 percent» means 50 out of 100, which is a half.↗ Example: Fifty percent of 20 is 10.↗ · The shop has 30 percent off all toys.↗ · My tablet battery is at 15 percent.↗ · There's a 70 percent chance of rain tomorrow.↗ · She got 90 percent on the spelling test.↗ · I'm a hundred percent sure!↗ · Ten percent of the class walk to school.↗

percentage — Everyday, meaning 1: (maths) A percentage is a number written as a part of 100, using the sign %, as 25% means 25 out of every 100.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A percentage is a part or share of something, as in «a large percentage of the class».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) There's no percentage in it means there's no benefit.↗ Example: Fifty percent is the same as a half.↗ · What percentage of the class has a pet?↗ · The percentage of water in the human body is about 60%.↗ · A 20% discount on £10 saves £2.↗ · A small percentage of pupils walk to school.↗ · We turned our test scores into percentages.↗ · The battery is at a low percentage, so charge it.↗

perceptible — Everyday, meaning 1: Able to be seen, heard, felt or noticed, even if only just.↗ Example: There was a barely perceptible smile on her face.↗ · The change in temperature was hardly perceptible.↗ · The sound was too quiet to be perceptible to humans, but the dog heard it.↗ · There has been a perceptible improvement in your handwriting.↗ · The earthquake was perceptible as a faint shake.↗ · Without a microscope, the cells were not perceptible.↗ · "No, no," answered his comrades, snuffing the air, in which the scent from the palace kitchen was now very perceptible.↗

perceptibly — Everyday, meaning 1: In a way that can be noticed or seen, even if only a little.↗ e.g. "It grew perceptibly colder."↗ Example: It grew perceptibly darker as the clouds came.↗ · Her voice shook perceptibly.↗ · The plant had grown perceptibly in one week.↗ · He relaxed perceptibly when the test was over.↗ · The water level rose perceptibly during the storm.↗ · The train slowed perceptibly before the station.↗

perception — Everyday, meaning 1: Noticing and understanding things with your senses — seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, smelling.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The way a person thinks about or understands something; their view or impression.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Being good at noticing things that others miss: «a girl of great perception».↗ Example: Owls have amazing depth perception at night.↗ · Optical illusions fool our perception.↗ · Her perception of the new teacher changed after a week.↗ · The detective's sharp perception solved the case.↗ · Our perception of time speeds up when we are having fun.↗ · Smell is an important part of our perception of taste.↗ · People's perception of the beach was that it was dirty.↗ · The test checks your perception of colours.↗ · I have a clear perception of everything as if I were wide awake.↗ · Understand this wisdom, and be wise in the perception.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · These Seven Double Letters He designed, produced, and combined, and formed with them the Planets (stars) of this Universe, the Days of the Week, and the Gates of the soul (the orifices of perception) in Man.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · These Seven Double Letters He designed, pro- duced, and combined, and formed with them the Planets (stars) of this Universe, the Days of the Week, and the Gates of the soul (the orifices of perception) in Man.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗

perch — Everyday, meaning 1: A perch is a branch, bar or stick where a bird sits.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To perch means to sit on something high or narrow, the way a bird does.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To perch something is to put it in a high or wobbly place.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A perch is also a freshwater fish with spiny fins that people catch and eat.↗ Example: The parrot hopped onto its wooden perch.↗ · A robin perched on the garden fence.↗ · I perched on the edge of the bed, waiting for news.↗ · His glasses were perched on the end of his nose.↗ · The castle was perched on top of a steep hill.↗ · Dad caught three perch at the lake.↗ · Owls watch for mice from a high perch.↗ · The raven perched upon a tree very joyfully.↗

perchance — Everyday, meaning 1: Perhaps; possibly, by chance.↗ Example: Well, my lord King, were you frightened, perchance?↗ · Was he thinking, perchance, of his fair young wife?↗ · I also will walk contrary unto them, and bring them into the land of their enemies; if then perchance their uncircumcised heart be humbled, and they then be paid the punishment of their iniquity; (Torah LEV.26.41, JPS 1917)↗ · Then said David to Jonathan: 'Who shall tell me if perchance thy father answer thee roughly?'↗ (Prophets 1SA.20.10, JPS 1917)↗ · The image perchance, which the craftsman hath melted, and the goldsmith spread over with gold, the silversmith casting silver chains?↗ (Prophets ISA.40.19, JPS 1917)↗

percussion — Everyday, meaning 1: Percussion means musical instruments that you play by hitting, shaking or scraping them, such as drums, tambourines, triangles, cymbals and xylophones.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The percussion is the part of an orchestra or band that plays these instruments.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Percussion means the hitting of one thing against another, a sharp knock (formal).↗ Example: The drum is a percussion instrument.↗ · In music we played percussion with shakers and drums.↗ · The percussion section sits at the back of the orchestra.↗ · A xylophone is tuned percussion, because it plays notes.↗ · Clap and stamp for body percussion.↗ · My brother has percussion lessons on Saturdays.↗

perdition — Everyday, meaning 1: (church, old) Perdition is everlasting punishment after death, often meaning hell, in old Christian language.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (old, formal) Complete ruin or disaster.↗ Example: The preacher warned against the road to perdition.↗ · In the old story, the pirate feared eternal perdition.↗ · Old hymns sometimes speak of perdition.↗ · Gambling led him to perdition.↗ · Christians believe Jesus came to save people from perdition.↗ · The book calls greed the path to perdition.↗

peregrine — Everyday, meaning 1: A peregrine, or peregrine falcon, is a bird of prey that dives at amazing speed to catch other birds in the air.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal, old) Peregrine means travelling or wandering from place to place.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Peregrine is also a boy's name (a name).↗ Example: A peregrine falcon nests on top of the city cathedral.↗ · The peregrine dived out of the sky and caught a pigeon.↗ · Peregrines are the fastest animals on Earth when they dive.↗ · We watched the peregrine chicks on a webcam.↗ · The word «peregrine» comes from Latin for «a traveller from abroad».↗ · Peregrines nearly died out, but now they are back in many cities.↗ · A female peregrine is bigger than the male.↗

peremptory — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: Strict and not allowing any argument or delay.↗ Example: he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain: 'Wherefore is the decree so peremptory from the king?'↗ Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.↗ (Writings DAN.2.15, JPS 1917)↗ · Therefore because the king's commandment was peremptory, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.↗ (Writings DAN.3.22, JPS 1917)↗

perfect — Everyday, meaning 1: Perfect means with no mistakes or faults at all.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Perfect means exactly right for something, like the perfect present.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Perfect can mean complete, as in a perfect stranger (someone you don't know at all).↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To perfect something is to make it as good as it can be, often by practising.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: In grammar, the perfect tense uses have or has, like "I have finished".↗ Example: She got a perfect score on her spelling test.↗ · It's a perfect day for the beach.↗ · Nobody's perfect — we all make mistakes.↗ · That hat is a perfect fit.↗ · 16 is a perfect square because 4 × 4 = 16.↗ · He practised every day to perfect his dive.↗ · Practice makes perfect.↗ · Here she found everything in perfect order.↗ · The Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice; a God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is He.↗ (Torah DEU.32.4, JPS 1917)↗ · A perfect and just weight shalt thou have; a perfect and just measure shalt thou have; that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.↗ (Torah DEU.25.15, JPS 1917)↗ · The system of points in writing Hebrew was not perfected until the seventh century, and even then was not in constant use.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · So the house of the LORD was perfected.↗ (Writings 2CH.8.16, JPS 1917)↗ · and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold, and that perfect gold; (Writings 2CH.4.21, JPS 1917)↗ · The mind stayed on Thee Thou keepest in perfect peace; because it trusteth in Thee.↗ (Prophets ISA.26.3, JPS 1917)↗

perfection — Everyday, meaning 1: The state of being perfect, with no faults at all.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Something or someone that is perfect, an ideal example.↗ e.g. "The cake was perfection."↗ Everyday, meaning 3: The act of making something perfect.↗ e.g. "the perfection of a skill".↗ Example: The chips were cooked to perfection.↗ · Nobody can reach perfection, so do your best.↗ · The gymnast's routine was close to perfection.↗ · Practice helps, but perfection is not the goal.↗ · "This lemonade is perfection!" said Mum.↗ · He spent years on the perfection of his magic trick.↗ · Rudy and Babette felt that they had never seen the Alpine glow in such perfection before.↗ · The Twenty-eighth Path is the Natural Intelligence, and is so called because through it is consummated and perfected the nature of every existent being under the orb of the Sun, in perfection.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887)↗ · The Twenty-seventh Path is the Exciting Intelli- gence, and it is so called because through it is consum- mated and perfected the nature of every existent being under the orb of the Sun, in perfection.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · The Thirtieth Path is the Collecting Intelligence, and is so-called because Astrologers deduce from it the judgment of the Stars, and of the celestial signs, and the perfections of their science, according to the rules of their resolutions.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined forth.↗ (Writings PSA.50.2, JPS 1917)↗ · All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem: 'Is this the city that men called the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?'↗ (Writings LAM.2.15, JPS 1917)↗

perfectly — Everyday, meaning 1: Perfectly means in a perfect way, without any mistakes.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Perfectly means completely or very: «perfectly safe», «perfectly fine».↗ Example: She sang the song perfectly.↗ · The jigsaw pieces fit perfectly.↗ · Stand perfectly still.↗ · The ice is perfectly safe to skate on — the guard checked.↗ · You know perfectly well what you did.↗ · I'm perfectly fine, thanks.↗ · The cake turned out perfectly.↗ · But the Weasel was perfectly content.↗ · The anger of the LORD shall not return, until He have executed, and till He have performed the purposes of His heart; in the end of days ye shall consider it perfectly.↗ (Prophets JER.23.20, JPS 1917)↗