English Explanatory Dictionary

perish

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing.
  2. To decay in such a way that it cannot be used for its original purpose
  3. To die; to cease to live.
  4. To cause to perish.

Pronunciation

/ˈpɛɹɪʃ/ en-us-perish.ogg /ˈpeɹɪʃ/ /ˈpeɹəʃ/ /ˈpɛɾɪʃ/

Word forms

perish perishes perishing perished

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”).

Synonyms

decease pass away assume room temperature auger in be called home be gathered to one's fathers be like the the One be no more be with Jesus be with the Lord bite the big one bite the biscuit bite the dust buy the farm buy it cark it cash in cash in one's chips check out close one's eyes for the last time code conk out croak cross over cross rainbow bridge cross the Great Divide cross the Styx darken decompose dematerialize depart disincarnate draw one's last breath drop off the hooks exit expire flatline forfare give one's all give up the ghost go for a burton go gentle into that good night go out go over to the majority go the way of all flesh go the way of the dinosaurs go the way of the dodo go the way of the dodo bird go to glory go to one's reward go west hand in one's checks hand in one's dinner pail hop the twig join the choir invisible keel over kick the bucket kick off knock off liquidate

Related words

perishable

Derived words

do a perish nonperishing perishability perisher perishingly perishless perish the thought publish or perish unperished unperishing
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