Etymology From either Medieval Latin perūtor, perūsitō (“wear out”) or Anglo-Norman peruser (“use up”), originally leading to two concurrent meanings, but only those derived from "to examine" survive today. By surface analysis, per- + use.
1
To examine or consider with care.
Sitting on a low stool, a few yards from her arm-chair, I examined her figure; I perused her features.1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter IV, in Jane Eyre. An Autobiography. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, page 58:
2
To read completely.
This survey may be made by perusing al Books and taking notice of all Mechanicall Inventions.1647, William Petty, The Advice to Hartlib:
We are for reasons that, after perusing this manuscript, you may be able to guess, going away again this time to Central Asia […]1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
1 more example
Not every German who bought a copy of Mein Kampf necessarily read it. […]But it might be argued that had more non-Nazi Germans read it before 1933 and had the foreign statesmen of the world perused it carefully while there still was time, both Germany and the world might have been saved from catastrophe.1960, William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, Simon & Schuster, page 81:
Haynes quickly perused the message, then took it to the captain on the bridge.2001, Doug Stanton, In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis, →ISBN, page 35:
She asked Denise for the court file, which she fussed from her handbag. The woman perused it briefly and then beamed up at me.2005, Al Lovejoy, Acid Alex, →ISBN, page 98:
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“I’m looking at the headlines and perusing around on the internet and I see that this guy came to your show and he brought a friendship bracelet and wants to meet you,” Swift’s mom said in the documentary.2026 July 4, Brittany Spanos, “Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce marry at New York City’s Madison Square Garden”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
Etymology From either Medieval Latin perūtor, perūsitō (“wear out”) or Anglo-Norman peruser (“use up”), originally leading to two concurrent meanings, but only those derived from "to examine" survive today. By surface analysis, per- + use.
1
An examination or perusal; an instance of perusing.
A peruse of the website looked promising […]2008 September 12, Dave Robson, “Hi-tea, low cost!”, in Evening Gazette: