perish
[ per-ish ]
/ ˈpɛr ɪʃ /
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verb (used without object)
to die or be destroyed through violence, privation, etc.: to perish in an earthquake.
to pass away or disappear: an age of elegance that has forever perished.
to suffer destruction or ruin: His valuable paintings perished in the fire.
to suffer spiritual death: Save us, lest we perish.
OTHER WORDS FOR perish
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Idioms about perish
perish the thought, may it never happen: used facetiously or as an afterthought of foreboding.
Origin of perish
1200–50; Middle English perissen<Old French periss-, long stem of perir<Latin perīre to perish, literally, go through, spend fully, equivalent to per-per- + īre to go
synonym study for perish
1. See die1.
OTHER WORDS FROM perish
per·ish·less, adjectiveper·ish·ment, nounun·per·ished, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
British Dictionary definitions for perish
perish
/ (ˈpɛrɪʃ) /
verb (intr)
to be destroyed or die, esp in an untimely way
(tr sometimes followed by with or from) to cause to sufferwe were perished with cold
to rotleather perishes if exposed to bad weather
perish the thought! may it never be or happen thus
noun
do a perish Australian informal to die or come near to dying of thirst or starvation
Word Origin for perish
C13: from Old French périr, from Latin perīre to pass away entirely, from per- (away) + īre to go
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 Idioms and Phrases with perish
perish
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.