perish
verbCA, US, UK /ˈpɛɹɪʃ/ · AU /ˈpeɹɪʃ/
Etymology From Middle English perishen, borrowed from Old French perir (via the stem periss- used in various conjugations), from Latin perīre (“pass away, perish”), from per (“through”) + īre (“pass, go”).
1
To decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing.
- 1881, Tarafa, translated by W. A. Clouston, The Poem of Tarafa I consider time as a treasure decreasing every night; and that which every day diminishes soon perishes for ever.
2
To decay in such a way that it cannot be used for its original purpose
- The difficulty is that fresh foods perish due to the multiplication in them of harmful bacteria.2015, Christopher Cumo, Foods that Changed History:
3
To die; to cease to live.
- When it goeth well with the righteous, the citie reioyceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 11:10:
- […]the ship struck upon a sand, and […] the sea broke over her in such a manner that we expected we should all have perished immediately; and we were immediately driven into our close quarters, to shelter us from the very foam and spray of the sea.1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC:
4
Obsolete To cause to perish.
- that closeness did impair and a little perish his understanding1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Friendship”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
- "Leggo my shou'der, I tell you! Leggo!" He struggled with her, and the customers came forward. "Chrise! I'll perish you, if you ain't careful!" He turned suddenly,...1898, William Pett Ridge, By Order of the Magistrate, page 209:
- Derived terms
- do a perish, nonperishing, perishability, perisher, perishingly, perishless, perish the thought, publish or perish, unperished, unperishing
- Related terms
- perishable