Gl. ii. 38; Wilbraham, p. 107; Forby, ii. 249. To perk one's self up, to adorn. To perk up again, to recover from sickness.
(4) A perch. Suffolk. "Ovyr the perke to pryk," Skelton, i. 124. It also occurs in Reliq. Antiq. i. 294.
(5) A wooden frame against which sawn timber is set up to dry. East.
PERKERS. Young rooks. North.
PERKIN. Water cyder.
PERKY. Saucy; obstinate. West.
PERLATANE.
The haulle also of this palace was sett fulle of ymagez of golde, and bitwix thame stode perlatanes of golde, in the branches of whilke ther were many maners of fewles. MS. Lincoln A. i. 17, f. 25.
PERLESY. A pleurisy.
And smyttis hym als it were with a perlesy, that alle his lymeys dryes, that he may na gud do als he sulde. MS. Lincoln A. i. 17, f. 246.
PERLID. Ornamented with pearls; studded with any ornaments.
And many a perlid garnement Embroudid was ajen the day.
Gower, MS. Soc. Antiq. 134, f. 54.
PERLIN. The piece of timber which runs along under the middle part of the spars or bearers of a roof, to give such bearers additional strength.
PERLOWES. Perilous. Palsgrave.
PERMAFAY. By my faith. (A.-N.)
PERMANSIE. Magic; necromancy.
PERN. (1) To prosper. Somerset.
(2) To pick and dress birds, particularly applied to dressing the heron.
PERNASO. Mount Parnassus.
PERNEL. The pimpernel, a flower that always shuts up its blossoms before rain.
But these tender pernels must have one gown for the day, another for the night.
- Pilkington's Works, p. 56.
PERPEND. To consider attentively.
You'll quickly know, if you do well perpend, And observe rightly what's the proper end.
Brome's Songs, 1661, p. 182.
PERPENDICLE. The plumb line of a quadrant. This word occurs in an old treatise on mensuration, in MS. Sloane 213.
PERPENTINE. A porcupine. "Perpoynt, hys-trix," Pr. Parv. The form perpentine occurs in Shakespeare, most incorrectly altered to porcupine by modern editors. It is the genuine old word.
PERPENT-STONE. A large stone reaching through a wall so as to appear on both sides of it. Oxf. Gl. Arch. p. 280. In the North of England, a thin wall, the stones of which are built on the edge, is called a perpent.
PERPETUANA. A kind of glossy cloth, generally called everlasting.
PERPLANTED. Planted securely.
Requirynge them as his especiall truste and confidence was perplanted in the hope of their fidelité, that they would occurre and mete hym by the waye with all diligent preparacion.
Hall, Richard III. f. 27.
PERQUIRE. To search into. Clobery's Divine Glimpses, 1659, p. 73.
PERR. (1) Perry. (2) A pearl.
PERRE. A dish in old cookery, made chiefly of peas, onions, and spices.
PERRIER. A kind of short mortar, formerly much used for stone shot.
PERRIWINKLE. A periwig. Stubbe.
PERRONENDERE. A pardoner. Hearne.
PERRY-DANCERS. The aurora borealis. East.
PERRYE. (1) A squall.
It happened Harold his sonne to arrive at Pountlou against his will, by occasion of a sudden perry, or contrarle winde, that arose while he was on seaboorde. Lambarde's Perambulation, 1596, p. 357.
(2) A little cur dog. North.
(3) Precious stones; jewels. (A.-N.)
And alle was set with perrye, Ther was never no better in Crystyanté.
MS. Cantab. Ff. ii. 38, f. 242
PERS. (1) Persia.
We woot bothe bi story and vers That the kyndam of Grace and Pers Were hede kyngus in forme tide.
Cursor Mundi, MS. Coll. Trin. Cantab. f. 132.
(2) Company.
Al we wite it thi defaut, So siggeth al our pers.
Arthour and Merlin, p. 9.
(3) Sky, or blueish gray colour. There was a kind of cloth so called.
PERSAUNT. Piercing. (A.-N.)
That of the stremis every maner wyle Astonied was, they weren so bryte and shene, Ant to the ye for persaunt for to sene.
Lydgate, MS. Soc. Antiq. 134, f. 23.
For thy perseynt charité.
Gower, MS. Soc. Antiq. 134, f. 109.
PERSCRUTE. To search through. (Lat.) Used by Andrew Borde, Brit. Bibl. iv. 24.
PERSE. Equality. (A.-N.)
PERSEL. Parsley. Pegge.
PERSEVER. To persevere. Shak.
Whether a daw sit, or whether a daw fly, Whether a daw stand, or whether a daw lye, Whether a daw creepe, or whether a daw cry, In what case soever a daw persever, A daw is a daw, and a daw shall be ever.
Tarlton's Jests, 1611.
PERSIAN-WHEEL. An engine invented to raise a quantity of water sufficient for overflowing lands, that border in the banks of rivers, where the streams lie so low, as to be incapable of doing it.
PERSON. A mask, or actor. (Lat.)
PERSONABLE. Personally visible.
My saied lorde of Winchester saied unto the kyng that the kyng his father, so visited with sickenesse, was not personable. Hall, Henry VI. f. 13.
PERSONE. A man. Generally. A man of dignity, a parson or rector of a church.
PERSORE. A piercing-iron.
Se, se, seyd the persore, That at I scy it shall be sure; Whi chyd se liche one with other? Wote se wele I ame your brother! Therefore none contrary me, Fore as I scy so schall it be. MS. Ashmole 61.