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perpend

1 American  
[pur-puhnd] / ˈpɜr pənd /

noun

  1. a large stone passing through the entire thickness of a wall.

perpend 2 American  
[per-pend] / pərˈpɛnd /

verb (used with object)

  1. to consider.

verb (used without object)

  1. to ponder; deliberate.

perpend 1 British  
/ ˈpɜːpənd /

noun

  1. Also called: parpend.   perpend stone.  a large stone that passes through a wall from one side to the other

"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
perpend 2 British  
/ pəˈpɛnd /

verb

  1. an archaic word for ponder

"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

Etymology

Origin of perpend1

1225–75; variant of parpen, parpend, Middle English perpein, parpein ( late Middle English perpend- in compound) a stone dressed on more than one side < Old French perpein, parpain, perhaps representing Medieval Latin parpanus < ?

Origin of perpend2

1520–30; < Latin perpendere to weigh carefully, ponder, equivalent to per- per- + pendere to weigh

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.

Without putting ourselves to any stir or trouble in the least, quoth Pantagruel, let us maturely and seriously consider and perpend the gestures and speech which he hath made and uttered.

From Project Gutenberg

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.