perspire

American

[per-spahyuhr] / pərˈspaɪər /

verb (used without object)

perspired, perspiring

to secrete a salty, watery fluid from the sweat glands of the skin, especially when very warm as a result of strenuous exertion; sweat.

verb (used with object)

perspired, perspiring

to emit through pores; exude.

perspire British

/ pəˈspaɪə /

verb

to secrete or exude (perspiration) through the pores of the skin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

perspirability noun
perspirable adjective
perspiringly adverb
perspiry adjective
unperspired adjective
unperspiring adjective

Etymology

Origin of perspire

1640–50; < Latin perspīrāre to blow constantly (said of the wind), breathe through; in New Latin: to sweat imperceptibly. See per-, inspire

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Theo repeats, scanning the packed parlor as if a secret remote nook will somehow appear between the perspiring bodies.

From Literature

The mere sight of a police officer or a judge was enough to make him perspire with anxiety.

From Literature

Then, singer Adele announced on stage in Las Vegas in 2023 that she had contracted a fungal infection as a result of perspiring.

From BBC

The beleaguered bride, in her dress, perspired through her makeup on a warm afternoon.

From The Wall Street Journal

They do not sweat like humans – only perspiring a small amount through the pads on their paws, with their often thick fur coats meaning their core temperature can rise quickly in high temperatures.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023