Part 186

Per*fum"er*y (?), n. 1. Perfumes, in general.

2. [Cf. F. parfumerie.] The art of preparing perfumes.

Per*func"to*ri*ly (?), adv. In a perfunctory manner; formally; carelessly. Boyle.

Per*func"to*ri*ness, n. The quality or state of being perfunctory.

Per*func"to*ry (?), a. [L. perfunctorius, fr. perfunctus dispatched, p. p. of perfungi to discharge, dispatch; per (see Per) + fungi to perform. See Function.] 1. Done merely to get rid of a duty; performed mechanically and as a thing of rote; done in a careless and superficial manner; characterized by indifference; as, perfunctory admonitions. Macaulay.

2. Hence: Mechanical; indifferent; listless; careless. "Perfunctory in his devotions." Sharp.

Per*func"tu*rate (?), v. t. To perform in a perfunctory manner; to do negligently. [R.]

Per*fuse" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Perfused (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Perfusing.] [L. perfusus, p. p. of perfundere to pour over; per + fundere to pour.] To suffuse; to fill full or to excess. Harvey.

Per*fu"sion (?), n. [L. perfusio.] The act of perfusing.

Per*fu"sive (?), a. Of a nature to flow over, or to spread through.

{ Per`ga*me"no*us (?), Per`ga*men*ta"ceous (?), } a. [L. pergamena parchment. See Parchment.] Like parchment.

Per*haps" (?), adv. [Per + hap chance.] By chance; peradventure; perchance; it may be.

And pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

Acts viii. 22.

Per"i- (?). [Gr. &?;, prep.] A prefix used to signify around, by, near, over, beyond, or to give an intensive sense; as, perimeter, the measure around; perigee, point near the earth; periergy, work beyond what is needed; perispherical, quite spherical.

Pe"ri (?), n.; pl. Peris (#). [Per. per a female genus, a fairy.] (Persian Myth.) An imaginary being, male or female, like an elf or fairy, represented as a descendant of fallen angels, excluded from paradise till penance is accomplished. Moore.

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Per`i*a"gua (?), n. See Pirogue.

Per"i*anth (?), n. [Pref. peri- + Gr. &?; flower: cf. F. pÈrianthe.] (Bot.) (a) The leaves of a flower generally, especially when the calyx and corolla are not readily distinguished. (b) A saclike involucre which incloses the young fruit in most hepatic mosses. See Illust. of Hepatica.

||Per`i*an"thi*um (?), n. [NL.] (Bot.) The perianth.

Per"i*apt (?), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; hung about, &?; to hang about; &?; about + &?; to tie: cf. F. pÈriapte.] A charm worn as a protection against disease or mischief; an amulet. Coleridge.

Now help, ye charming spells and periapts.

Shak.

Per`i*as"tral (?), a. Among or around the stars. "Comets in periastral passage." R. A. Proctor.

Per`i*as"tron (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; about + &?; a star.] (Astron.) That point, in the real or apparent orbit of one star revolving around another, at which the former is nearest to the latter.

Per"i*au"ger (?), n. See Pirogue. W. Irving.

Per"i*blast (?), a. [Gr. &?; to grow around. See Peri-, and -blast.] (Biol.) The protoplasmic matter which surrounds the entoblast, or cell nucleus, and undergoes segmentation. -- Per`i*blas"tic, a.

Per"i*blem (?), n. [Pref. peri- + root of Gr. &?; to sprout.] (Bot.) Nascent cortex, or immature cellular bark.