English Explanatory Dictionary

perform

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To do (something); to execute.
To exhibit an expected pattern of behavior; to function; to work.
Of a man, to be able to initiate or fulfill an act of sexual intercourse.
To act in a way set forth in a contract.
To act in accordance with (a contract); to fulfill one’s terms of (a contract).
To fulfill contractually agreed-to terms.
To do (something) in front of an audience, such as acting or music, often in order to entertain.
To behave theatrically so as to give the impression of (a quality, character trait, etc.); to feign.
Of a social actor, to behave in certain ways.
To behave in accordance with, and thereby in turn shape, (a social notion or role).
To behave in ways that carry meaning in social contexts.

Pronunciation

pər-fôrmʹ /pəˈfɔːm/ [pʰəˈfɔːm] /pɚˈfɔɹm/ en-us-perform.ogg prĭ-fôrmʹ /pɹɪˈfɔːm/ /pɹɪˈfɔɹm/

Word forms

perform performs performing performed no-table-tags glossary performest performedst performeth performe

Etymology

From Middle English parformen, performen (“to perform”), from Anglo-Norman performer, parfourmer, alteration of Old French parfornir, parfurnir (“to complete, accomplish, perform”), from par- + fornir, furnir (“to accomplish, furnish”), from Frankish *frummjan (“to accomplish, furnish”), from Proto-Germanic *frumjaną, *framjaną (“to further, promote”), from Proto-Indo-European *promo- (“in front, forth”), *per- (“forward, out”). Cognate with Old High German frummen (“to do, execute, accomplish, provide”), Old Saxon frummian (“to perform, promote”), Old English fremman (“to perform, execute, carry out, accomplish”). See also frame, from. Modernly, rather than Proto-Germanic *frumjaną, associated with Latin formō, analyzable as per- + form.

Related words

preform preformance

Derived words

coperform misperform nonperforming non-performing loan outperform overperform performability performable performance performant performation performative performativity performator performatory performent performer reperform underperform unperform unperformed

Translations

Catalan: representar Finnish: suoriutua Finnish: onnistua Finnish: menestyä French: performer German: Arbeit leisten German: Arbeit verrichten German: performen German: bringen Hungarian: teljesít Hungarian: szuperál Hungarian: működik Hungarian: funkcionál Hungarian: ... teljesítményt nyújt Italian: comportarsi con correttezza Spanish: funcionar Spanish: funcar Spanish: desempeñarse

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