2 ADV [ADV with v] If something is done perfectly , it is done so well that it could not possibly be done better. □ This adaptation perfectly captures the spirit of Kurt Vonnegut's novel. □ The system worked perfectly.
3 ADV [ADV adj/adv] If you describe something as perfectly good or acceptable, you are emphasizing that there is no reason to use or get something else, although other people may disagree. [EMPHASIS ] □ You can buy perfectly good instruments for a lot less. SYNONYMS perfectly ADV 1
completely: Dozens of flats had been completely destroyed.
totally: The fire totally destroyed the top floor.
absolutely: There is absolutely no difference!
quite: It is quite clear that we were firing in self defence.
pe r|fect pi tch N‑UNCOUNT Someone who has perfect pitch is able to identify or sing musical notes correctly.
pe r|fect sto rm (perfect storms ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A perfect storm is an unusual combination of events or things that produce an unusually bad or powerful result. □ Investors are faced with the perfect storm of slowing economic growth, rising prices and an unstable housing market.
per|fidi|ous /pə r f I diəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone as perfidious , you mean that they have betrayed someone or cannot be trusted. [LITERARY ] □ Their feet will trample on the dead bodies of their perfidious aggressors.
per|fi|dy /pɜː r f I di/ N‑UNCOUNT Perfidy is the action of betraying someone or behaving very badly towards someone. [LITERARY ]
per|fo|rate /pɜː r fəre I t/ (perforates , perforating , perforated ) VERB To perforate something means to make a hole or holes in it. □ [V n] I refused to wear headphones because they can perforate your eardrums. ● per|fo|rat|ed ADJ [ADJ n] □ Keep good apples in perforated polythene bags.
per|fo|ra|tion /pɜː r fəre I ʃ ə n/ (perforations ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Perforations are small holes that are made in something, especially in paper. □ Tear off the form along the perforations and send it to Sales.
per|force /pə r fɔː r s/ ADV [ADV with v] Perforce is used to indicate that something happens or is the case because it cannot be prevented or avoided. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ The war in 1939 perforce ushered in an era of more grime and drabness.
per|form ◆◆◇ /pə r fɔː r m/ (performs , performing , performed )
1 VERB When you perform a task or action, especially a complicated one, you do it. □ [V n] His council had to perform miracles on a tiny budget. □ [be V -ed] Several grafts may be performed at one operation.
2 VERB If something performs a particular function, it has that function. □ [V n] A complex engine has many separate components, each performing a different function.
3 VERB If you perform a play, a piece of music, or a dance, you do it in front of an audience. □ [V n] Gardiner has pursued relentlessly high standards in performing classical music. □ [be V -ed] This play was first performed in 411 BC. □ [V ] He began performing in the early fifties, singing and playing guitar.
4 VERB If someone or something performs well , they work well or achieve a good result. If they perform badly , they work badly or achieve a poor result. □ [V adv] He had not performed well in his exams. □ [V adv] 'State-owned industries will always perform poorly,' John Moore informed readers. SYNONYMS perform VERB 1
achieve: We have achieved what we set out to do.
carry out: Commitments have been made with very little intention of carrying them out.
effect: Prospects for effecting real political change seemed to have taken a major step backwards.
accomplish: If we'd all work together, I think we could accomplish our goal.
per|for|mance ◆◆◇ /pə r fɔː r məns/ (performances )
1 N‑COUNT A performance involves entertaining an audience by doing something such as singing, dancing, or acting. □ [+ of ] Inside the theatre, they were giving a performance of Bizet's Carmen. □ [+ as ] …her performance as the betrayed Medea.
2 N‑VAR [oft with poss] Someone's or something's performance is how successful they are or how well they do something. □ [+ of ] That study looked at the performance of 18 surgeons. □ The job of the new director-general was to ensure that performance targets were met.
3 N‑UNCOUNT A car's performance is its ability to go fast and to increase its speed quickly.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] A performance car is one that can go very fast and can increase its speed very quickly.
5 → see also high-performance
6 N‑SING The performance of a task is the fact or action of doing it. □ [+ of ] He devoted in excess of seventy hours a week to the performance of his duties.
7 N‑SING You can describe something that is or looks complicated or difficult to do as a performance . [INFORMAL ] □ The whole process is quite a performance.
8 a repeat performance → see repeat COLLOCATIONS performance NOUN
1
noun + performance : concert, dance, stage; matinee, evening