perishing
Americanadjective
adjective
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informal (of weather, etc) extremely cold
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slang (intensifier qualifying something undesirable)
it's a perishing nuisance!
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of perishing
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at perish, -ing 2
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.
Perishing in a snowdrift of optimistic clich�s, Bentley loses all � home, wife, job, future.
From Time Magazine Archive
Perishing Percy did some neat an' effective steps that would 'ave gone better with music, an' then stopped dead to listen for the applause.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 156, June 18, 1919 by Various
I told the Captin afterwards what the Major had told me but I dont think he would care if General Perishing had asked me home to dinner.
From No title by
Perishing gloomily, Spurred by contumely, Cold inhumanity, Burning insanity, Into her rest!
From The World's Best Poetry, Volume 3 Sorrow and Consolation by Carman, Bliss
She has written nearly three thousand hymns, among which are "Pass Me not, O Gentle Saviour," "Rescue the Perishing," "Saviour more than Life to Me," and "Jesus keep Me near the Cross."
From Architects of Fate or, Steps to Success and Power by Marden, Orison Swett
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
