Page 187 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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Essential Vocabulary
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perishable (PER ish i bl) adj. likely to spoil or deteriorate —n. something, espe-
cially food, that is liable to spoil
• The most perishable commodity in the cooler is the ice.
• It is a good idea to refrigerate perishables, such as dairy products and meat.
permanence (POER min ins) n. the quality or fact of lasting for a very long, if
not indefinite, time without changing
• There is a certain permanence about a marble statue that long outlasts the
person or event it celebrates.
• Some permanence is desirable in laundry marks that go on your clothing.
permeate (POER mee ayt) vt. to pass into or through and affect every part;
infest —vi. to penetrate and diffuse
• It took three paper towels to clean up the spill, as the first two became
totally permeated with liquid.
• Rinna’s daughter sent her to college in hope that some learning might
permeate her thick, yet porous skull.
[-d, permeating]
perpetrator (poer pi TRAY ter) n. 1. one who does something evil; doer of a
crime; 2. one who commits a hoax or a blunder
• It is the job of the criminal justice system to lock up the perpetrators of
criminal activities.
• Mr. Brown hammered a nail between two panels of the chalkboard thereby
becoming the perpetrator of the infamous skyhook hoax on his physics
class.
[(to) perpetrate vt., perpetrated, perpetrating]
perpetuate (poer PET yoo ayt) vt. to cause to continue; make perpetual; pre-
serve from extinction
• The teacher strived to perpetuate the myth among her students that she had
eyes in the back of her head.
• Regular service intervals and tender care will perpetuate the useful life of
your automobile.
[-d, perpetuating]
perplex (poer PLEKS) vt. 1. to puzzle; to confuse; to make one doubtful;
2. to make complicated or difficult to understand
• Finding the way to Red Riding Hood’s grandma’s house using the map
perplexed the wolf.
• Finding a general cure for cancer continues to perplex researchers.
[-ed, -ing] [Syn. puzzle]
persevere (poer si VEER) vi. to continue to make an effort despite opposition;
to persist
• The Marines persevered in their attempt to climb Mt. Suribachi until they
finally prevailed.
• To attain one’s life’s goals, it is essential to persevere, regardless of the obsta-
cles one might encounter.
[-d, persevering*]