perishable(PER ish i bl) adj.likely to spoil or deteriorate —n.something, espe-
cially food, that is liable to spoil
- The most perishablecommodity in the cooler is the ice.
- It is a good idea to refrigerate perishables,such as dairy products and meat.
permanence(POER min ins) n.the quality or fact of lasting for a very long, if
not indefinite, time without changing - There is a certain permanenceabout a marble statue that long outlasts the
person or event it celebrates. - Some permanenceis desirable in laundry marks that go on your clothing.
permeate (POER mee ayt) vt.to pass into or through and affect every part;
infest —vi.to penetrate and diffuse - It took three paper towels to clean up the spill, as the first two became
totally permeatedwith liquid. - Rinna’s daughter sent her to college in hope that some learning might
permeateher thick, yet porous skull.
[-d, permeating]
perpetrator (poer pi TRAY ter) n.1. one who does something evil; doer of a
crime; 2. one who commits a hoax or a blunder - It is the job of the criminal justice system to lock up the perpetratorsof
criminal activities. - Mr. Brown hammered a nail between two panels of the chalkboard thereby
becoming the perpetratorof the infamous skyhook hoax on his physics
class.
[(to) perpetrate vt., perpetrated, perpetrating]
perpetuate(poer PET yoo ayt) vt.to cause to continue; make perpetual; pre-
serve from extinction - The teacher strived to perpetuatethe myth among her students that she had
eyes in the back of her head. - Regular service intervals and tender care will perpetuatethe useful life of
your automobile.
[-d, perpetuating]
perplex(poer PLEKS) vt.1. to puzzle; to confuse; to make one doubtful;
- to make complicated or difficult to understand
- Finding the way to Red Riding Hood’s grandma’s house using the map
perplexedthe wolf. - Finding a general cure for cancer continues to perplexresearchers.
[-ed, -ing] [Syn. puzzle]
persevere(poer si VEER) vi.to continue to make an effort despite opposition;
to persist - The Marines perseveredin their attempt to climb Mt. Suribachi until they
finally prevailed. - To attain one’s life’s goals, it is essential to persevere,regardless of the obsta-
cles one might encounter.
[-d, persevering*]
178 Essential Vocabulary