pero|ra|tion /pe rəre I ʃ ə n/ (perorations )
1 N‑COUNT A peroration is the last part of a speech, especially the part where the speaker sums up his or her argument. [FORMAL ]
2 N‑COUNT If someone describes a speech as a peroration , they mean that they dislike it because they think it is very long and not worth listening to. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
per|ox|ide /pərɒ ksa I d/ (peroxides )
1 N‑VAR Peroxide is a chemical that is often used for making hair lighter in colour. It can also be used to kill germs.
2 → see also hydrogen peroxide
per|o x|ide blonde (peroxide blondes ) N‑COUNT You can refer to a woman whose hair has been artificially been made lighter in colour as a peroxide blonde , especially when you want to show that you disapprove of this, or that you think her hair looks unnatural or unattractive.
per|pen|dicu|lar /pɜː r pənd I kjʊlə r /
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A perpendicular line or surface points straight up, rather than being sloping or horizontal. □ We made two slits for the eyes and a perpendicular line for the nose. □ The sides of the loch are almost perpendicular.
2 ADJ If one thing is perpendicular to another, it is at an angle of 90 degrees to it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] The left wing dipped until it was perpendicular to the ground.
per|pe|trate /pɜː r p I tre I t/ (perpetrates , perpetrating , perpetrated ) VERB If someone perpetrates a crime or any other immoral or harmful act, they do it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] A high proportion of crime in any country is perpetrated by young males. ● per|pe|tra|tion /pɜː r p I tre I ʃ ə n/ N‑SING □ [+ of ] …a very small minority who persist in the perpetration of these crimes. ● per|pe|tra|tor (perpetrators ) N‑COUNT □ [+ of ] The perpetrator of this crime must be traced.
per|pet|ual /pə r pe tʃuəl/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A perpetual feeling, state, or quality is one that never ends or changes. □ …the creation of a perpetual union. ● per|pet|ual|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ They were all perpetually starving.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A perpetual act, situation, or state is one that happens again and again and so seems never to end. □ I thought her perpetual complaints were going to prove too much for me. ● per|pet|ual|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ He perpetually interferes in political affairs.
per|pe t|ual mo |tion also perpetual-motion N‑UNCOUNT The idea of perpetual motion is the idea of something continuing to move for ever without getting energy from anything else.
per|petu|ate /pə r pe tʃue I t/ (perpetuates , perpetuating , perpetuated ) VERB If someone or something perpetuates a situation, system, or belief, especially a bad one, they cause it to continue. □ [V n] We must not perpetuate the religious divisions of the past. □ [V -ed] This image is a myth perpetuated by the media. ● per|petua|tion /pə r pe tʃue I ʃ ə n/ N‑SING □ [+ of ] The perpetuation of nuclear deployments is morally unacceptable.
per|pe|tu|ity /pɜː r p I tjuː I ti/ PHRASE If something is done in perpetuity , it is intended to last for ever. [FORMAL ] □ The U.S. Government gave the land to the tribe in perpetuity.
per|plex /pə r ple ks/ (perplexes , perplexing , perplexed ) VERB If something perplexes you, it confuses and worries you because you do not understand it or because it causes you difficulty. □ [V n] It perplexed him because he was tackling it the wrong way.
per|plexed /pə r ple kst/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are perplexed , you feel confused and slightly worried by something because you do not understand it. □ [+ about ] She is perplexed about what to do for her daughter.
per|plex|ing /pə r ple ks I ŋ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you find something perplexing , you do not understand it or do not know how to deal with it. □ It took years to understand many perplexing diseases.
per|plex|ity /pə r ple ks I ti/ (perplexities )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Perplexity is a feeling of being confused and frustrated because you do not understand something. □ He began counting them and then, with growing perplexity, counted them a second time.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] The perplexities of something are those things about it which are difficult to understand because they are complicated. □ [+ of ] …the perplexities of quantum mechanics.
per|qui|site /pɜː r kw I z I t/ (perquisites ) N‑COUNT A perquisite is the same as a perk . [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …cost-free long-distance calls, a perquisite of her employment.
per se /pɜː r se I / ADV Per se means 'by itself' or 'in itself', and is used when you are talking about the qualities of one thing considered on its own, rather than in connection with other things. □ It is not the money per se that makes them unhappy, but the single-minded pursuit of that money.
per|secute /pɜː r s I kjuːt/ (persecutes , persecuting , persecuted )
1 VERB If someone is persecuted , they are treated cruelly and unfairly, often because of their race or beliefs. □ [be V -ed] Mr Weaver and his family have been persecuted by the authorities for their beliefs. □ [V n] They began by brutally persecuting the Catholic Church. □ [V -ed] …a persecuted minority.
2 VERB If you say that someone is persecuting you, you mean that they are deliberately making your life difficult. □ [V n] Local boys constantly persecuted him, throwing stones at his windows.