📖 P — The English dictionary · page 22

persecution — Everyday, meaning 1: Cruel and unfair treatment of a person or group, especially because of their religion, race, beliefs or who they are.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (church, history) The persecution of the early Christians by some Roman emperors, and the persecution of many faith groups through history and today.↗ Example: The early Christians suffered persecution in Rome.↗ · Many refugees flee persecution in their countries.↗ · Religious persecution is when people are hurt for their faith.↗ · The Pilgrims left England partly to escape persecution.↗ · Saint Paul at first led the persecution of Christians.↗ · Bullying a group because of who they are is a kind of persecution.↗ · It is said the quarrel grew out of the persecution the race of Geese suffered at the teeth of the Fox family.↗ · That smote the peoples in wrath with an incessant stroke, that ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution that none restrained.↗ (Prophets ISA.14.6, JPS 1917)↗

persecutor — Everyday, meaning 1: Someone who treats another person cruelly and unfairly again and again, to hurt or harm them.↗ Example: The poor girl ran from her persecutors.↗ · The king's men were the persecutors of the kind old man.↗ · Her persecutor followed her all the way home.↗ · Many are my persecutors and mine adversaries; yet have I not turned aside from Thy testimonies.↗ (Writings PSA.119.157, JPS 1917)↗ · Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors; for they are too strong for me.↗ (Writings PSA.142.7, JPS 1917)↗ · Thou, O LORD, knowest; Remember me, and think of me, and avenge me of my persecutors; take me not away because of Thy long-suffering; know that for Thy sake I have suffered taunts.↗ (Prophets JER.15.15, JPS 1917)↗

perseverance — Everyday, meaning 1: Keeping on trying to do something even when it is hard, or when you fail at first.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (church) Christians speak of perseverance in faith: keeping faith through hard times.↗ Example: She learned to ride her bike through perseverance.↗ · Our class has a star for perseverance.↗ · Perseverance pays off: keep practising!↗ · The spider's perseverance inspired Robert the Bruce.↗ · It took great perseverance to finish the marathon.↗ · Learning the piano needs patience and perseverance.↗ · "Your brothers can be released," said she, "if you have only courage and perseverance.↗

persevere — Everyday, meaning 1: To keep trying to do something even when it is difficult or you fail at first, and not give up.↗ Example: If you persevere with your reading, it will get easier.↗ · She failed her swimming test twice but persevered.↗ · The explorers persevered through snow and ice.↗ · Persevere with the puzzle; you're nearly there.↗ · He persevered and finally learned to ride a bike.↗ · Scientists persevere through many failed experiments.↗ · He set to work and persevered till he invented the first boat.↗

persian — Everyday, meaning 1: Persian describes Persia, the old name for Iran, and its people, history and culture.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Persian, also called Farsi, is the main language of Iran, also spoken in Afghanistan (Dari) and Tajikistan (Tajik).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A Persian is a person from Persia or Iran.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A Persian, or Persian cat, is a cat breed with long fluffy fur and a flat face.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: A Persian carpet or rug is a hand-woven carpet with rich patterns.↗ Example: Cyrus the Great ruled the Persian Empire.↗ · The Greeks fought the Persians at the Battle of Marathon.↗ · My neighbour speaks Persian at home.↗ · Our Persian cat has long white fur that needs brushing every day.↗ · The living room has a beautiful Persian rug.↗ · Persian New Year, Nowruz, starts on the first day of spring.↗ · The word «paradise» comes from an old Persian word for a garden.↗ · Overwhelmed with grief, he sought consolation from the beautiful Persian.↗ · So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.↗ (Writings DAN.6.29, JPS 1917)↗ · The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded heads of fathers' houses; also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian.↗ (Writings NEH.12.22, JPS 1917)↗

persimmon — Everyday, meaning 1: A sweet orange fruit that grows on a tree in warm lands.↗ An unripe persimmon is very hard and bitter.↗ Example: The persimmon is orange when it is ripe.↗ · Do not bite an unripe persimmon; it is as hard as stone.↗ · We picked three persimmons from the tree.↗

persist — Everyday, meaning 1: To persist is to keep doing something even when it is hard or other people want you to stop.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: If something bad persists, it continues for longer than expected.↗ Example: If your cough persists, go to the doctor.↗ · She persisted with the puzzle until she solved it.↗ · The rain persisted all afternoon.↗ · He persisted in asking questions, even after we said no.↗ · Keep practising — if you persist, you will get better.↗ · The smell persisted for days after the bin was emptied.↗ · The myth that goldfish have a three-second memory persists.↗ · Why do you persist in this folly?↗

persistence — Everyday, meaning 1: Persistence is going on trying to do something even when it is hard or other people want you to stop.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Persistence is something continuing for a long time: the persistence of the rain.↗ Example: With persistence, she learnt to ride her bike.↗ · His persistence paid off when he solved the puzzle.↗ · The spider showed great persistence rebuilding its web.↗ · Persistence is more important than talent.↗ · We were annoyed by the persistence of the rain.↗ · Learning an instrument takes persistence.↗ · But, knowing that persistence would eventually succeed, he held her fast until she assumed her true form.↗

persistent — Everyday, meaning 1: A persistent person keeps on trying and does not give up easily.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Something persistent goes on for a long time or keeps coming back: a persistent cough, persistent rain.↗ Example: She is a persistent and hard-working pupil.↗ · The persistent rain spoiled our picnic.↗ · A persistent cough should be checked by a doctor.↗ · The persistent fly kept landing on my sandwich.↗ · He was persistent and finally got a reply.↗ · Persistent lateness can get you into trouble.↗ · So savage was it, and so persistent, that it was as much as the people of the house could do to beat it off.↗

persistently — Everyday, meaning 1: Persistently means continuing again and again without stopping or giving up.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Persistently can mean annoyingly often: «persistently late».↗ Example: She practised the piano persistently until she got it right.↗ · The dog barked persistently at the gate.↗ · He was persistently late for school.↗ · It rained persistently all week.↗ · The child asked persistently for a puppy.↗ · If a cough continues persistently, see a doctor.↗ · Ants persistently searched for crumbs.↗ · The team trained persistently and won.↗

person — Everyday, meaning 1: A person is a man, woman or child, one human being.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: «In person» means really there, not on the phone or on a screen.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In grammar, person shows who is speaking.↗ e.g. I is first person, you is second person, he or she is third person.↗ Example: Each person gets 3 slices.↗ · The ticket costs 5 dollars per person.↗ · How many people can sit at 4 tables?↗ · A person eats 2 apples.↗ · She is a very kind person.↗ · I would like to thank you in person.↗ · Only one person can go on the slide at a time.↗ · The story is told in the first person: «I ran home».↗ · A trusted person is someone your family knows well.↗ · Yes, he is forever following people.↗ · And all the people shall say: Amen.↗ (Torah DEU.27.16, JPS 1917)↗ · And all the people shall say: Amen.'↗ (Torah DEU.27.26, JPS 1917)↗ · So the people rested on the seventh day.↗ (Torah EXO.16.30, JPS 1917)↗ · And the people did yet corruptly.↗ (Writings 2CH.27.2, JPS 1917)↗ · And all the people wept again over him.↗ (Prophets 2SA.3.34, JPS 1917)↗ · And the people did according to this promise.↗ (Writings NEH.5.13, JPS 1917)↗

personage — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) An important or famous person.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A character in a play or story.↗ Example: A royal personage visited our town.↗ · The Duchess was a very grand personage.↗ · Toad imagined himself a famous personage.↗ · Many great personages came to the wedding.↗ · The play has only four personages.↗ · The mayor was the most important personage at the fair.↗ · First the personages, and then we will get the play ready.↗

personal — Everyday, meaning 1: Personal means belonging to or about one particular person.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Personal means private, about your own life, body or feelings.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Personal means done by you yourself, not through someone else.↗ Example: Never share personal information online.↗ · Washing every day is part of personal hygiene.↗ · Please give me some personal space.↗ · She ran her personal best in the race.↗ · That's a personal question.↗ · Each pupil has a personal locker.↗ · It's nothing personal — I just want to sit alone.↗ · He was too polite to make any personal remarks out loud.↗ · The late Madame Blavatsky, my esteemed teacher of Theosophy, and my personal friend, at whose suggestion a friendly alliance between the Hermetic Order of the G. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · The late Madame Blavatsky, my esteemed teacher of Theosophy, and my personal friend, at whose sugges- tion a friendly alliance between the Hermetic Order of the G. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · + Make non-commercial use of the files We designed Google Book Search for use by individuals, and we request that you use these files for personal, non-commercial purposes.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗

personalised — Everyday, meaning 1: Personalised means made specially for one person, often with their name or initials on it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Personalised also means changed to suit one person's needs or likes.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb) To personalise something is to make it your own or suited to you.↗ Example: I got a personalised pencil case with my name on it.↗ · The teacher made a personalised plan for each reader.↗ · You can personalise your phone's background.↗ · The app shows personalised adverts.↗ · Mum ordered a personalised birthday cake.↗ · Personalised number plates cost a lot of money.↗ · We personalised our lockers with stickers.↗

personality — Everyday, meaning 1: Your personality is the kind of person you are: your character, the way you think, feel and behave.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Personality means having a strong, lively, interesting character.↗ e.g. "she has lots of personality".↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A personality is a famous person, especially from TV, radio or sport.↗ e.g. "a TV personality".↗ Example: My dog has a big personality.↗ · The twins look alike but have different personalities.↗ · Describe the hero's personality in three words.↗ · She has a cheerful personality.↗ · He became a famous TV personality.↗ · Our classroom has lots of personality with all our art on the walls.↗ · In youth one must mingle one's own personality with life, that they may become one.↗ · Soul; the word is NPSh, which is commonly translated soul, meaning the living personality of man, animal or existing thing : it corresponds almost to the Theosophic Prana plus the stimulus of Kama.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗

personally — Everyday, meaning 1: Used to give your own opinion.↗ e.g. Personally, I prefer cats.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Done by you yourself, not by someone else.↗ e.g. The head teacher personally thanked us.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: As a person, not about your job or skill.↗ e.g. I don't know him personally.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: «Take it personally»: to feel hurt as if something was aimed at you.↗ Example: Personally, I think pizza is better than burgers.↗ · The author personally signed our books.↗ · I don't know the mayor personally.↗ · Don't take it personally — the coach shouts at everyone.↗ · She personally checked every answer.↗ · Personally speaking, I'd rather stay in.↗ · He had often watched them flying across the sea, but he had never expected to get to know one personally.↗

personhood — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: The state of being a person.↗

personification — Everyday, meaning 1: Personification is a way of writing that gives human feelings or actions to things that are not human: «The wind howled.»↗ «The sun smiled down.».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A personification of something is a person or character who stands for an idea.↗ e.g. Father Time is a personification of time.↗ Example: «The trees whispered secrets» is personification.↗ · Underline the personification in the poem.↗ · «The angry sea swallowed the boat» uses personification.↗ · Father Christmas is a personification of Christmas giving.↗ · The old car coughed and groaned up the hill.↗ · She was the personification of kindness.↗ · Hebe was the personification of eternal youth under its most attractive and joyous aspect.↗

personify — Everyday, meaning 1: (writing) To describe a thing, animal or idea as if it were a person, with human feelings or actions.↗ e.g. "The wind howled angrily."↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To be a perfect example of a quality.↗ e.g. "She personifies kindness."↗ Example: Poets often personify the moon as a lady.↗ · In "the angry storm", the writer personifies the weather.↗ · Grandma personifies kindness.↗ · Can you personify the sea in your poem?↗ · The cartoon personifies the vegetables as funny characters.↗ · Old stories personify death as a figure in a cloak.↗ · He personifies the change of seasons, and that process of transformation in nature by means of which the leaf-buds become developed into blossoms, and the blossoms into fruit.↗