<B>perspective, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1a. </B>the art of picturing objects on a flat surface so as to give the appearance of distance or depth. <BR> <I>Ex. [(Fauvism)] had discarded perspective, the sublime technical triumph of the Renaissance (New Yorker).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a drawing or picture in perspective. <DD><B> 2. </B>the effect of distance on the appearance of objects. <BR> <I>Ex. Railroad tracks seem to meet at the horizon because of perspective.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) the effect of the distance of events upon the mind. <BR> <I>Ex. Perspective makes happenings of last year seem less important.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>a view of things or facts in which they are in the right relations. <BR> <I>Ex. a lack of perspective.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>a view in front; distant view. <BR> <I>Ex. a perspective of lakes and hills.</I> (SYN) vista. <DD><B> 6. </B>(Figurative.) a mental view, outlook, or prospect. <BR> <I>Ex. Sleeping or waking, I beheld the same black perspective of approaching ruin (Robert Louis Stevenson).</I> <DD><B> 7. </B>(Obsolete.) an optical glass, such as a magnifying glass. <DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>of perspective. <DD><B> 2. </B>drawn so as to show the proper perspective. <BR> <I>Ex. a perspective drawing.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Obsolete.) <DD><B> a. </B>optical. <DD><B> b. </B>assisting the sight, as an optical instrument does. <BR> <I>Ex. a perspective glass.</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>in perspective,</B> <DD><B> a. </B>drawn or viewed in accordance with the rules or principles of perspective. </I> <I>Ex. The engraver said he must ... "put it in proper perspective" (London Daily Chronicle).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>(Figurative.) from a particular mental point of view. <BR> <I>Ex. to examine an issue in perspective.</I> adv. <B>perspectively.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="perspectivism">
<B>perspectivism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>(Philosophy.) the theory that everything is known only from particular perspectives. <DD><B> 2. </B>the use of perspective in art or literature. adj., n. <B>perspectivist.</B> </DL>
<B>perspicacity, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>wisdom and understanding in dealing with people or with facts; keen perception; discernment. <BR> <I>Ex. Unbelievable artistic perspicacity and integrity mingle with childlike humor and credulity (Wall Street Journal).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Archaic.) keenness of eyesight. </DL>
<A NAME="perspicuity">
<B>perspicuity, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> clearness in expression; ease in being understood. <BR> <I>Ex. There is nothing more desirable in composition than perspicuity; and in perspicuity precision is included (Robert Southey).</I> (SYN) plainness, lucidity. </DL>
<A NAME="perspicuous">
<B>perspicuous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> easily understood; clear; lucid. <BR> <I>Ex. His manner of telling a story, or explaining his thoughts, was forcible, perspicuous and original (William Godwin).</I> (SYN) intelligible. adv. <B>perspicuously.</B> noun <B>perspicuousness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="perspiration">
<B>perspiration, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>sweat. <BR> <I>Ex. The runner's forehead was damp with perspiration.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>sweating. <BR> <I>Ex. (Figurative.) Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety nine per cent perspiration (Thomas A. Edison).</I> </DL>
<B>perspire, </B>intransitive verb, transitive verb, <B>-spired,</B> <B>-spiring.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to sweat. <BR> <I>Ex. The lumberman perspired as he cut trees under the blazing sun.</I> adj. <B>perspirable.</B> adv. <B>perspiringly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="perstirpes">
<B>per stirpes,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Law.) by stocks or families (used of succession to property in which the descendants of one heir share the portion which would have come to that heir if living). <BR> <I>Ex. to divide an estate per stirpes.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="persuadable">
<B>persuadable, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> that can be persuaded; easy to persuade. </DL>
<A NAME="persuade">
<B>persuade, </B>transitive verb, <B>-suaded,</B> <B>-suading.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to win over to do or believe; make willing or sure by urging or arguing; convince. <BR> <I>Ex. I knew I should study, but he persuaded me to go to the movies.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Archaic.) to urge, plead with, or counsel strongly. <BR> <I>Ex. Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge, It could not move thus (Shakespeare).</I> noun <B>persuader.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="persuasibility">
<B>persuasibility, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the quality of being persuasible; capability of being, or readiness to be, persuaded. </DL>
<A NAME="persuasible">
<B>persuasible, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> open to persuasion; persuadable. </DL>
<A NAME="persuasion">
<B>persuasion, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the act of persuading. <BR> <I>Ex. All our attempts at persuasion were useless; she would not come.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the power of persuading. <BR> <I>Ex. He is a poor salesman because he lacks persuasion. Is't possible that my deserts to you can lack persuasion? (Shakespeare).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>a firm belief; conviction. <BR> <I>Ex. different political persuasions. He had a strong persuasion that Likeman was wrong (H. G. Wells).</I> (SYN) assurance, conviction. <DD><B> 4a. </B>a religious belief; creed. <BR> <I>Ex. All Christians are not of the same persuasion.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a body of persons holding a particular religious belief; sect; denomination. <BR> <I>Ex. The Quakers have been called the "friendly persuasion."</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>(Humorous.) kind; sort; description. <BR> <I>Ex. a house filled with pets of every persuasion.</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>persuasions,</B> </I>beliefs. <BR> <I>Ex. to cling tenaciously to old persuasions.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="persuasive">
<B>persuasive, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> able to persuade; fitted to persuade. <BR> <I>Ex. a persuasive argument, a persuasive smile. The salesman had a very persuasive way of talking.</I> (SYN) moving, winning. <DD><I>noun </I> something adapted or intended to persuade. adv. <B>persuasively.</B> noun <B>persuasiveness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="persulfate">
<B>persulfate, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a salt of persulfuric acid. </DL>
<A NAME="persulfuricacid">
<B>persulfuric acid,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a highly unstable, crystalline acid used as an oxidizing agent. <DD><B> 2. </B>a crystalline acid containing a high proportion of sulfur and oxygen, used as an oxidizing agent. </DL>
<A NAME="pert">
<B>pert, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>too forward or free in speech or action; saucy; bold. <BR> <I>Ex. a pert girl, a pert reply. The boy was very pert.</I> (SYN) impudent, impertinent. <DD><B> 2. </B>stylish; jaunty. <BR> <I>Ex. a pert outfit for casual wear.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Informal.) in good health or spirits; lively. <BR> <I>Ex. a very pert old woman.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>(Obsolete.) <DD><B> a. </B>expert; skilled. <DD><B> b. </B>sharp; adroit; clever. adv. <B>pertly.</B> noun <B>pertness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="pert">
<B>PERT, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> Program Evaluation and Review Technique (a computerized management system for handling complex programs, such as the production of missile systems). </DL>
<A NAME="pert">
<B>pert.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> pertaining. </DL>
<A NAME="pertain">
<B>pertain, </B>intransitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to belong or be connected as a part or possession. <BR> <I>Ex. We own the house and the land pertaining to it.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to have to do with; be related; refer. <BR> <I>Ex. documents pertaining to the case.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to be appropriate. <BR> <I>Ex. We had a turkey and everything else that pertains to Thanksgiving Day.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>(Archaic.) to belong as one's care or concern. </DL>
<A NAME="pertinacious">
<B>pertinacious, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>holding firmly to a purpose, action, or opinion; very persistent; resolute. <BR> <I>Ex. a pertinacious beggar. A bulldog is a pertinacious fighter.</I> (SYN) determined, dogged, stubborn. <DD><B> 2. </B>stubborn to excess; obstinate. <DD><B> 3. </B>obstinately or persistently continuing; not yielding to treatment. <BR> <I>Ex. a pertinacious cough.</I> adv. <B>pertinaciously.</B> noun <B>pertinaciousness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="pertinacity">
<B>pertinacity, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> great persistence; holding firmly to a purpose, action, or opinion. <BR> <I>Ex. Again and again ... with the inexorable pertinacity of a child intent upon some object important to itself, did he renew his efforts (Hawthorne).</I> (SYN) tenacity. </DL>
<A NAME="pertinence">
<B>pertinence, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the quality of being to the point; fitness; relevance. <BR> <I>Ex. The pertinence of the boy's replies showed that he was alert and intelligent.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="pertinency">
<B>pertinency, </B>noun. <B>=pertinence.</B></DL>
<A NAME="pertinent">
<B>pertinent, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with what is being considered; relating to the matter in hand; to the point; relevant. <BR> <I>Ex. If your question is pertinent, I will answer it.</I> adv. <B>pertinently.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="perturb">
<B>perturb, </B>transitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to disturb greatly; make uneasy or troubled; upset. <BR> <I>Ex. Teachers are always perturbed by low grades. Highly perturbed, he wondered what was coming next (Arnold Bennett).</I> (SYN) excite, trouble, distress. <DD><B> 2. </B>to cause disorder or irregularity in; agitate. <BR> <I>Ex. perturbed waters.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Astronomy.) to cause perturbation in. adj. <B>perturbable.</B> noun <B>perturber.</B> </DL>
