Chapter 26

Pe`ri*o*dic"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Periodicities (#). [Cf. F. pÈriodicitÈ.] The quality or state of being periodical, or regularly recurrent; as, the periodicity in the vital phenomena of plants. Henfrey.

Per*i"o*dide (?), n. [Pref. per- + iodide.] An iodide containing a higher proportion of iodine than any other iodide of the same substance or series.

Per`i*o*don"tal (?), a. [Pref. peri- + Gr. &?;, &?;, tooth.] (Anat.) Surrounding the teeth.

Pe`ri*od"o*scope (?), n. [Period + -scope.] (Med.) A table or other means for calculating the periodical functions of women. Dunglison.

{ ||Per`i*ú"ci, Per`i*ú"cians, } n. pl. [NL. perioeci, fr. Gr. &?;; &?; around + &?; house, dwelling.] Those who live on the same parallel of latitude but on opposite meridians, so that it is noon in one place when it is midnight in the other. Compare Antúci.

Per"i*o*ple (?), n. [F. pÈriople, from Gr. &?; about + &?; the hoof of a horse.] (Anat.) The external smooth horny layer of the hoof of the horse and allied animals.

Per`i*op"lic (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the periople; connected with the periople.

Per`i*os"te*al (?), a. (Anat.) Situated around bone; of or pertaining to the periosteum.

||Per`i*os"te*um (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; round the bones; &?; around ||+ &?; a bone: cf. L. periosteon.] (Anat.) The membrane of fibrous ||connective tissue which closely invests all bones except at the ||articular surfaces.

||Per`i*os*ti"tis (?), n. [NL. See Periosteum, and -itis.] (Med.) ||Inflammation of the periosteum.

||Per`i*os"tra*cum (?), n.; pl. Periostraca (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?; ||around + &?; shell of a testacean.] (Zoˆl.) A chitinous membrane ||covering the exterior of many shells; -- called also epidermis.

Per`i*o"tic (?), a. [Pref. peri- + Gr. &?;, &?;, the ear.] (Anat.) Surrounding, or pertaining to the region surrounding, the internal ear; as, the periotic capsule. -- n. A periotic bone.

Per`i*pa*te"cian (?), n. A peripatetic. [Obs.]

Per`i*pa*tet"ic (?), a. [L. peripateticus, Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to walk about; &?; about + &?; to walk: cf. F. pÈripatÈtique.] 1. Walking about; itinerant.

2. Of or pertaining to the philosophy taught by Aristotle (who gave his instructions while walking in the Lyceum at Athens), or to his followers. "The true peripatetic school." Howell.

Per`i*pa*tet"ic, n. 1. One who walks about; a pedestrian; an itinerant. Tatler.

2. A disciple of Aristotle; an Aristotelian.

Per`i*pa*tet"ic*al (?), a. Peripatetic. [R.] Hales.

Per`i*pa*tet"i*cism (?), n. [Cf. F. pÈripatÈtisme.] The doctrines or philosophical system of the peripatetics. See Peripatetic, n., 2. Lond. Sat. Rev.

||Pe*rip"a*tus (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a walking about.] (Zoˆl.) A ||genus of lowly organized arthropods, found in South Africa, ||Australia, and tropical America. It constitutes the order Malacopoda.

Per`i*pet"al*ous (?), a. (Bot.) Surrounding, or situated about, the petals.

Pe*riph"er*al (?), a. 1. Of or pertaining to a periphery; constituting a periphery; peripheric.

2. (Anat.) External; away from the center; as, the peripheral portion of the nervous system.

{ Per`i*pher"ic (?), Per`i*pher"ic*al (?), } a. [Cf. F. pÈriphÈrique. See Periphery.] See Peripheral.

Pe*riph"er*y (?), n.; pl. Peripheries (#). [L. peripheria, Gr. &?;; &?; around + &?; to bear, carry: cf. F. pÈriphÈrie.] 1. The outside or superficial portions of a body; the surface.

2. (Geom.) The circumference of a circle, ellipse, or other figure.

Per"i*phrase (?), n. [L. periphrasis, Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to think about, to be expressed periphrastically; &?; + &?; to speak: cf. F. pÈriphrase. See Phrase.] (Rhet.) The use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; a roundabout, or indirect, way of speaking; circumlocution. "To describe by enigmatic periphrases." De Quincey.

Per"i*phrase, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Periphrased (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Periphrasing.] [Cf. F. pÈriphraser.] To express by periphrase or circumlocution.

Per"i*phrase, v. i. To use circumlocution.

||Pe*riph"ra*sis (?), n.; pl. Periphrases (#). [L.] See Periphrase.

{ Per`i*phras"tic (?), Per`i*phras"tic*al (?), } a. [Gr. &?;: cf. F. pÈriphrastique.] Expressing, or expressed, in more words than are necessary; characterized by periphrase; circumlocutory.

Periphrastic conjugation (Gram.), a conjugation formed by the use of the simple verb with one or more auxiliaries.

Per`i*phras"tic*al*ly, adv. With circumlocution.

Per"i*plast (?), n. [Pref. peri- + Gr. &?; to mold, form.] (Biol.) Same as Periblast. -- Per`i*plas"tic (#), a. Huxley.

{ ||Per`ip*neu*mo"ni*a (?), Per`ip*neu"mo*ny (?), } n. [L. peripneumonia, Gr. &?;: cf. F. pÈripneumonie. See Peri-, Pneumonia.] (Med.) Pneumonia. (Obsoles.)

Per`ip*neu*mon"ic (?), a. [L. peripneumonicus, Gr. &?;: cf. F. pÈripneumonique.] (Med.) Of or pertaining to peripneumonia.

Per"i*proct (?), n. [Pref. peri- + Gr. &?; the anus.] (Zoˆl.) The region surrounding the anus, particularly of echinoderms.

||Per`i*proc*ti"tis (?), n. [NL. See Peri-, and Proctitus.] (Med.) ||Inflammation of the tissues about the rectum.

Pe*rip"ter*al (?), a. [Gr., fr. &?; + &?; feather, wing, row of columns.] (Arch.) Having columns on all sides; -- said of an edifice. See Apteral.

Pe*rip"ter*ous (?), a. 1. (Arch.) Peripteral.

2. (Zoˆl.) Feathered all around.

Per"i*sarc (?), n. [Pref. peri- + Gr. &?;, &?;, flesh.] (Zoˆl.) The outer, hardened integument which covers most hydroids.

Pe*ris"cian (?), a. [Gr. &?;; &?; around + &?; shadow: cf. F. pÈriscien.] Having the shadow moving all around.

{ Pe*ris"cians (?), ||Pe*ris"ci*i (?), } n. pl. [NL. See Periscian.] Those who live within a polar circle, whose shadows, during some summer days, will move entirely round, falling toward every point of the compass.

Per"i*scope (?), n. [Pref. peri- + -scope.] A general or comprehensive view. [R.]

Per`i*scop"ic (?), a. [Cf. F. pÈriscopique.] Viewing all around, or on all sides.

Periscopic spectacles (Opt.), spectacles having concavo-convex or convexo-concave lenses with a considerable curvature corresponding to that of the eye, to increase the distinctness of objects viewed obliquely.

Per"ish (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Perished (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Perishing.] [OE. perissen, perisshen, F. pÈrir, p. pr. pÈrissant, L. perire to go or run through, come to nothing, perish; per through + ire to go. Cf. Issue, and see -ish.] To be destroyed; to pass away; to become nothing; to be lost; to die; hence, to wither; to waste away.

I perish with hunger!

Luke xv. 17.

Grow up and perish, as the summer fly.

Milton.

The thoughts of a soul that perish in thinking.

Locke.

Per"ish, v. t. To cause perish. [Obs.] Bacon.

Per`ish*a*bil"i*ty (?), n. Perishableness.

Per"ish*a*ble (?), a. [F. pÈrissable.] Liable to perish; subject to decay, destruction, or death; as, perishable goods; our perishable bodies.

Per"ish*a*ble*ness, n. The quality or state of being perishable; liability to decay or destruction. Locke.

Per"ish*a*bly, adv. In a perishable degree or manner.

Per"ish*ment (?), n. [Cf. OF. perissement.] The act of perishing. [R.] Udall.

||Per`i*so"ma (?), n.; pl. Perisomata (#). [NL.] (Zoˆl.) Same as ||Perisome.

Per"i*some (?), n. [Pref. peri- + -some body.] (Zoˆl.) The entire covering of an invertebrate animal, as echinoderm or cúlenterate; the integument.

Per"i*sperm (?), n. [F. pÈrisperme. See Peri-, and Sperm.] (Bot.) The albumen of a seed, especially that portion which is formed outside of the embryo sac. -- Per`i*sper"mic (#), a.

{ Per`i*spher"ic (?), Per`i*spher"ic*al (?), } a. Exactly spherical; globular.

||Per`i*spom"e*non (?), n.; pl. Perispomena (#). [NL., from Gr. &?;, ||pr. pass. p. of &?; to draw around, to circumflex; &?; around + &?; ||to draw.] (Gr. Gram.) A word which has the circumflex accent on the ||last syllable. Goodwin.

Per"i*spore (?), n. (Bot.) The outer covering of a spore.

Per"is*sad (?), a. [Gr. &?; odd, from &?; over.] (Chem.) Odd; not even; -- said of elementary substances and of radicals whose valence is not divisible by two without a remainder. Contrasted with artiad.

Per"isse (?), v. i. To perish. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Per`is*so*dac"tyl (?), n. (Zoˆl.) One of the Perissodactyla.

||Per`is*so*dac"ty*la (?), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?; odd (fr. &?; over) ||+ &?; finger.] (Zoˆl.) A division of ungulate mammals, including ||those that have an odd number of toes, as the horse, tapir, and ||rhinoceros; -- opposed to Artiodactyla.

Per`is*so*log"ic*al (?), a. [Cf. F. pÈrissologique.] Redundant or excessive in words. [R.]

Per`is*sol"o*gy (?), n. [L. perissologia, Gr. &?;; &?; odd, superfluous + &?; discourse.] Superfluity of words. [R.] G. Campbell.

||Per`i*stal"sis (?), n. [NL. See Peristaltic.] (Physiol.) Peristaltic ||contraction or action.

Per`i*stal"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?; clasping and compressing, fr. &?; to surround, wrap up; &?; round + &?; to place, arrange: cf. F. pÈristaltique.] (Physiol.) Applied to the peculiar wormlike wave motion of the intestines and other similar structures, produced by the successive contraction of the muscular fibers of their walls, forcing their contents onwards; as, peristaltic movement. -- Per`i*stal"tic*al*ly (#), adv.

||Per`is*te"ri*a (?), n. [NL. See Peristerion.] (Bot.) A genus of ||orchidaceous plants. See Dove plant.

||Per`is*te"ri*on (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a dovecote, a kind of ||verbena, fr. &?; a dove, pigeon; cf. L. peristereon.] (Bot.) The herb ||vervain (Verbena officinalis).

Pe*ris"ter*ite (?), n. [Gr. &?; a pigeon.] (Min.) A variety of albite, whitish and slightly iridescent like a pigeon's neck.

Pe*ris`ter*o*mor"phous (?), a. [Gr. &?; a pigeon + -morphous.] (Zoˆl.) Like or pertaining to the pigeons or ColumbÊ.

Pe*ris`ter*op"o*dous (?), a. [Gr. &?; a pigeon + &?;, &?;, foot.] (Zoˆl.) Having pigeonlike feet; -- said of those gallinaceous birds that rest on all four toes, as the curassows and megapods.

Pe*ris"to*le (?), n. [NL.: cf. F. pÈristole. See Peristaltic.] (Physiol.) Peristaltic action, especially of the intestines.

||Pe*ris"to*ma (?), n.; pl. Peristomata (#). [NL.] Same as Peristome.

<! p. 1068 !>

Per"i*stome (?), n. [Pref. peri- + Gr. &?;, &?;, mouth.] 1. (Bot.) The fringe of teeth around the orifice of the capsule of mosses. It consists of 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64 teeth, and may be either single or double.

2. (Zoˆl.) (a) The lip, or edge of the aperture, of a spiral shell. (b) The membrane surrounding the mouth of an invertebrate animal.

Per`i*sto"mi*al (?), a. (Zoˆl.) Of or pertaining to a peristome.

||Per`i*sto"mi*um (?), n. [NL.] Same as Peristome.

Per`i*streph"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?; to turn round.] Turning around; rotatory; revolving; as, a peristrephic painting (of a panorama).

Per"i*style (?), n. [L. peristylum, Gr. &?;, &?;; &?; about + &?; a column: cf. F. pÈristyle.] (Arch.) A range of columns with their entablature, etc.; specifically, a complete system of columns, whether on all sides of a court, or surrounding a building, such as the cella of a temple. Used in the former sense, it gives name to the larger and inner court of a Roman dwelling, the peristyle. See Colonnade.

Per`i*sys"to*le (?), n. [Pref. peri- + systole: cf. F. pÈrisystole.] (Physiol.) The interval between the diastole and systole of the heart. It is perceptible only in the dying.

Pe*rite" (?), a. [L. peritus.] Skilled. [Obs.]

||Per`i*the"ci*um (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; around + &?; box.] (Bot.) ||An organ in certain fungi and lichens, surrounding and enveloping the ||masses of fructification. Henslow.

Pe*rit"o*mous (?), a. [Gr. &?; cut off all around. See Peri-, and Tome.] (Min.) Cleaving in more directions than one, parallel to the axis.

Per`i*to*nÊ"um (?), n. (Anat.) Same as Peritoneum.

Per`i*to*ne"al (?), a. [Cf. F. pÈritonÈal.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the peritoneum.

Per`i*to*ne"um (?), n. [L. peritoneum, peritonaeum, Gr. &?;, &?;, fr. &?; to stretch all around or over; &?; around + &?; to stretch.] (Anat.) The smooth serous membrane which lines the cavity of the abdomen, or the whole body cavity when there is no diaphragm, and, turning back, surrounds the viscera, forming a closed, or nearly closed, sac. [Written also peritonÊum.]

||Per`i*to*ni"tis (?), n. [NL. See Peritoneum, and -itis.] (Med.) ||Inflammation of the peritoneum.

Per`i*tra"che*al (?), a. (Zoˆl.) Surrounding the tracheÊ.

Per"i*treme (?), n. [Pref. peri- + Gr. &?; a hole.] (Zoˆl.) (a) That part of the integument of an insect which surrounds the spiracles. (b) The edge of the aperture of a univalve shell.

||Pe*rit"ri*cha (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; about + &?;, &?;, hair.] ||(Zoˆl.) A division of ciliated Infusoria having a circle of cilia ||around the oral disk and sometimes another around the body. It ||includes the vorticellas. See Vorticella.

||Per`i*tro"chi*um (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;; &?; around + &?; a ||wheel.] (Mech.) The wheel which, together with the axle, forms the ||axis in peritrochio, which see under Axis.

Per*it"ro*pal (?), a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to turn around; &?; around + &?; to turn: cf. F. pÈritrope.] 1. Rotatory; circuitous. [R.]

2. Having the axis of the seed perpendicular to the axis of the pericarp to which it is attached.

Per*it"ro*pous (?), a. Peritropal.

||Per`i*typh*li"tis (?), n. [NL. See Peri-, and Typhlitis.] (Med.) ||Inflammation of the connective tissue about the cÊcum.

Per`i*u"ter*ine (?), a. (Med.) Surrounding the uterus.

Per`i*vas"cu*lar (?), a. Around the blood vessels; as, perivascular lymphatics.

Per`i*ver"te*bral (?), a. (Anat.) Surrounding the vertebrÊ.

Per`i*vis"cer*al (?), a. (Anat.) Around the viscera; as, the perivisceral cavity.

Per`i*vi*tel"line (?), a. [Pref. peri- + vitelline.] (Biol.) Situated around the vitellus, or between the vitellus and zona pellucida of an ovum.

Per"i*wig (?), n. [OE. perrwige, perwicke, corrupt. fr. F. perruque; cf. OD. peruyk, from French. See Peruke, and cf. Wig.] A headdress of false hair, usually covering the whole head, and representing the natural hair; a wig. Shak.

Per"i*wig, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Perwigged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Perwigging (?).] To dress with a periwig, or with false hair. Swift.

Per"i*win`kle (?), n. [From AS. pinewincla a shellfish, in which pine- is fr. L. pina, pinna, a kind of mussel, akin to Gr. &?;. Cf. Winkle.] (Zoˆl.) Any small marine gastropod shell of the genus Littorina. The common European species (Littorina littorea), in Europe extensively used as food, has recently become naturalized abundantly on the American coast. See Littorina.

In America the name is often applied to several large univalves, as Fulgur carica, and F. canaliculata.

Per"i*win`kle, n. [OE. pervenke, AS. pervince, fr. L. pervinca.] (Bot.) A trailing herb of the genus Vinca.

The common perwinkle (Vinca minor) has opposite evergreen leaves and solitary blue or white flowers in their axils. In America it is often miscalled myrtle. See under Myrtle.

Per"jen*et (?), n. [Cf. Pear, and Jenneting.] A kind of pear. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Per"jure (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Perjured (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Perjuring.] [F. parjurer, L. perjurare, perjerare; per through, over + jurare to swear. See Jury.] 1. To cause to violate an oath or a vow; to cause to make oath knowingly to what is untrue; to make guilty of perjury; to forswear; to corrupt; -- often used reflexively; as, he perjured himself.

Want will perjure The ne'er-touched vestal.

Shak.

2. To make a false oath to; to deceive by oaths and protestations. [Obs.]

And with a virgin innocence did pray For me, that perjured her.

J. Fletcher.

Syn. -- To Perjure, Forswear. These words have been used interchangeably; but there is a tendency to restrict perjure to that species of forswearing which constitutes the crime of perjury at law, namely, the willful violation of an oath administered by a magistrate or according to law.

Per"jure, n. [L. perjurus: cf. OF. parjur, F. parjure.] A perjured person. [Obs.] Shak.

Per"jured (?), a. Guilty of perjury; having sworn falsely; forsworn. Shak. "Perjured persons." 1 Tim. i. 10. "Their perjured oath." Spenser.

Per"jur*er (?), n. One who is guilty of perjury; one who perjures or forswears, in any sense.

{ Per*ju"ri*ous (?), Per"ju*rous (?), } a. [L. perjuriosus, perjurus.] Guilty of perjury; containing perjury. [Obs.] Quarles. B. Johnson.

Per"ju*ry (?), n.; pl. Perjuries (#). [L. perjurium. See Perjure, v.] 1. False swearing.

2. (Law) At common law, a willfully false statement in a fact material to the issue, made by a witness under oath in a competent judicial proceeding. By statute the penalties of perjury are imposed on the making of willfully false affirmations.

If a man swear falsely in nonjudicial affidavits, it is made perjury by statute in some jurisdictions in the United States.

Perk (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Perked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Perking.] [Cf. W. percu to trim, to make smart.] To make trim or smart; to straighten up; to erect; to make a jaunty or saucy display of; as, to perk the ears; to perk up one's head. Cowper. Sherburne.

Perk, v. i. To exalt one's self; to bear one's self loftily. "To perk over them." Barrow.

To perk it, to carry one's self proudly or saucily. Pope.

Perk, a. Smart; trim; spruce; jaunty; vain. "Perk as a peacock." Spenser.

Perk, v. i. To peer; to look inquisitively. Dickens.

Per"kin (?), n. A kind of weak perry.

Per"kin*ism (?), n. (Med.) A remedial treatment, by drawing the pointed extremities of two rods, each of a different metal, over the affected part; tractoration, -- first employed by Dr. Elisha Perkins of Norwich, Conn. See Metallotherapy.

Perk"y (?), a. Perk; pert; jaunty; trim.

There amid perky larches and pines.

Tennyson.

Per*la"ceous (?), a. [See Pearl.] Pearly; resembling pearl.

Per"lid (?), n. (Zoˆl.) Any insect of the genus Perla, or family PerlidÊ. See Stone fly, under Stone.

Per"lite (?), n. (Min.) Same as Pearlite.

Per*lit"ic (?), a. (Min.) Relating to or resembling perlite, or pearlstone; as, the perlitic structure of certain rocks. See Pearlite.

Per"lous (?), a. Perilous. [Obs.] Spenser.

Per`lus*tra"tion (?), n. [L. perlustrare to wander all through, to survey. See 3d Luster.] The act of viewing all over. [Archaic] Howell.

Per"ma*na*ble (?), a. Permanent; durable. [Obs.] Lydgate.

{ Per"ma*nence (?), Per"ma*nen*cy (?), } n. [Cf. F. permanence.] The quality or state of being permanent; continuance in the same state or place; duration; fixedness; as, the permanence of institutions; the permanence of nature.

Per"ma*nent (?), a. [L. permanens, -entis, p. pr. of permanere to stay or remain to the end, to last; per + manere to remain: cf. F. permanent. See Per-, and Mansion.] Continuing in the same state, or without any change that destroys form or character; remaining unaltered or unremoved; abiding; durable; fixed; stable; lasting; as, a permanent impression.

Eternity stands permanent and fixed.

Dryden.

Permanent gases (Chem. & Physics), hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon monoxide; -- also called incondensible or incoercible gases, before their liquefaction in 1877. -- Permanent way, the roadbed and superstructure of a finished railway; -- so called in distinction from the contractor's temporary way. -- Permanent white (Chem.), barium sulphate (heavy spar), used as a white pigment or paint, in distinction from white lead, which tarnishes and darkens from the formation of the sulphide.

Syn. -- Lasting; durable; constant. See Lasting.

Per"ma*nent*ly, adv. In a permanent manner.

Per*man"ga*nate (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of permanganic acid.

Potassium permanganate. (Chem.) See Potassium permanganate, under Potassium.

Per`man*gan"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, one of the higher acids of manganese, HMnO4, which forms salts called permanganates.

Per*man"sion (?), n. [L. permansio. See Permanent.] Continuance. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Per`me*a*bil"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. permÈabilitÈ.] The quality or state of being permeable.

Magnetic permeability (Physics), the specific capacity of a body for magnetic induction, or its conducting power for lines of magnetic force. Sir W. Thomson.

Per"me*a*ble (?), a. [L. permeabilis: cf. F. permÈable. See Permeate.] Capable of being permeated, or passed through; yielding passage; passable; penetrable; -- used especially of substances which allow the passage of fluids; as, wood is permeable to oil; glass is permeable to light. I. Taylor.

Per"me*a*bly, adv. In a permeable manner.

Per"me*ant (?), a. [L. permeans, p. pr.] Passing through; permeating. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Per"me*ate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Permeated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Permeating.] [L. permeatus, p. p. of permeare to permeate; per + meare to go, pass.] 1. To pass through the pores or interstices of; to penetrate and pass through without causing rupture or displacement; -- applied especially to fluids which pass through substances of loose texture; as, water permeates sand. Woodward.

2. To enter and spread through; to pervade.

God was conceived to be diffused throughout the whole world, to permeate and pervade all things.

Cudworth.

Per`me*a"tion (?), n. The act of permeating, passing through, or spreading throughout, the pores or interstices of any substance.

Here is not a mere involution only, but a spiritual permeation and inexistence.

Bp. Hall.

Per"mi*an (?), a. [From the ancient kingdom of Permia, where the Permian formation exists.] (Geol.) Belonging or relating to the period, and also to the formation, next following the Carboniferous, and regarded as closing the Carboniferous age and Paleozoic era. -- n. The Permian period. See Chart of Geology.

Per"mi*ans (?), n. pl.; sing. Permian (&?;). (Ethnol.) A tribe belonging to the Finnic race, and inhabiting a portion of Russia.

Per*mis"ci*ble (?), a. [L. permiscere to mingle; per + miscere to mix.] Capable of being mixed.

Per*miss" (?), n. [See Permit.] A permitted choice; a rhetorical figure in which a thing is committed to the decision of one's opponent. [Obs.] Milton.

Per*mis`si*bil"i*ty (?), n. The quality of being permissible; permissibleness; allowableness.

Per*mis"si*ble (?), a. That may be permitted; allowable; admissible. -- Per*mis"si*ble*ness, n. -- Per*mis"si*bly, adv.

Per*mis"sion (?), n. [L. permissio: cf. F. permission. See Permit.] The act of permitting or allowing; formal consent; authorization; leave; license or liberty granted.

High permission of all-ruling Heaven.

Milton.

You have given me your permission for this address.

Dryden.

Syn. -- Leave; liberty; license. -- Leave, Permission. Leave implies that the recipient may decide whether to use the license granted or not. Permission is the absence on the part of another of anything preventive, and in general, at least by implication, signifies approval.

Per*mis"sive (?), a. 1. Permitting; granting leave or liberty. "By his permissive will." Milton.

2. Permitted; tolerated; suffered. Milton.

Per*mis"sive*ly, adv. In a permissive manner.

Per*mis"tion (?), n. [L. permistio, permixtio, fr. permiscere, permistum, and permixtum. See Permiscible.] The act of mixing; the state of being mingled; mixture. [Written also permixtion.]

Per*mit" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Permitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Permitting.] [L. permittere, permissum, to let through, to allow, permit; per + mittere to let go, send. See Per-, and Mission.] 1. To consent to; to allow or suffer to be done; to tolerate; to put up with.

What things God doth neither command nor forbid . . . he permitteth with approbation either to be done or left undone.

Hooker.

2. To grant (one) express license or liberty to do an act; to authorize; to give leave; -- followed by an infinitive.

Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.

Acis xxvi. 1.

3. To give over; to resign; to leave; to commit.

Let us not aggravate our sorrows, But to the gods permit the event of things.

Addison.