Dictionary

perform en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /pɹɪˈfɔːm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /pəˈfoːm/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• /pɚˈfoɹm/ (Canada, General-American)
• prĭ-fôrmʹ nonstandard but widespread
• /pəˈfɔːm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /pɹɪˈfoɹm/ (Canada, General-American)
• (California) audio
• pər-fôrmʹ
• [pʰəˈfɔːm] (Received-Pronunciation)
• [pʰəˈfoːm] (Australia, New-Zealand)

Etymology

From Middle English parformen, performen (“to perform”), from Anglo-Norman performer, parfourmer, alteration of Old French parfornir, parfurnir (“to complete, accomplish, perform”), from par- + fornir, furnir (“to accomplish, furnish”), from Frankish *frummjan (“to accomplish, furnish”), from Proto-Germanic *frumjaną, *framjaną (“to further, promote”), from Proto-Indo-European *promo- (“in front, forth”), *per- (“forward, out”). Cognate with Old High German frummen (“to do, execute, accomplish, provide”), Old Saxon frummian (“to perform, promote”), Old English fremman (“to perform, execute, carry out, accomplish”). See also frame, from. Modernly, rather than Proto-Germanic *frumjaną, associated with Latin formō, analyzable as per- + form.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To do (something); to execute.
   • It took him only twenty minutes to perform the task.
   • The scientists performed several experiments.
   • Turbines have been around for a long time—windmills and water wheels are early examples. The name comes from the Latin turbo, meaning vortex, and thus the defining property of a turbine is that a fluid or gas turns the blades of a rotor, which is attached to a shaft that can perform useful work. 2013 July-August, Lee S. Langston, “The Adaptable Gas Turbine”, in American Scientist:
2. (intransitive) To exhibit an expected pattern of behavior; to function; to work.
   • The new employee performs well.
   • I could care less how she perform when she in the bed 2003, “P.I.M.P.”, in Get Rich or Die Tryin', performed by 50 Cent:
3. (intransitive, uncommon) To exhibit an expected pattern of behavior; to function; to work. ▸ Of a man, to be able to initiate or fulfill an act of sexual intercourse.
4. (transitive) To act in a way set forth in a contract. ▸ To act in accordance with (a contract); to fulfill one’s terms of (a contract).
   • Failure to perform a contract on time may constitute a breach of contract.
5. (intransitive) To act in a way set forth in a contract. ▸ To fulfill contractually agreed-to terms.
   • They entered into an agreement and now they are obliged to perform.
6. (ambitransitive) To do (something) in front of an audience, such as acting or music, often in order to entertain.
   • The string quartet performed three pieces by Haydn.
   • She will perform in the play.
   • The magician performed badly—none of his tricks worked.
   • Perform a part thou hast not done before. c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
7. (broadly, transitive) To behave theatrically so as to give the impression of (a quality, character trait, etc.); to feign.
   • As things now stand, Brexit is a pointless gesture, a politics of headlines in which sovereignty is performed by bleating world-beating absurdities. 2021, David Edgerton, “The one good thing to come out of Brexit: a bonfire of national illusions”, in The Guardian:
   • The accused only performed remorse.
8. (transitive) Of a social actor, to behave in certain ways. ▸ To behave in accordance with, and thereby in turn shape, (a social notion or role).
   • perform authority
   • Even before her seven decades as monarch began, she performed Britishness more intuitively than anyone ever had, or likely ever will again. 2022 September 9, Sophie Gilbert, “No One Performed Britishness Better Than Her Majesty”, in The Atlantic:
   • perform masculinity
9. (intransitive) Of a social actor, to behave in certain ways. ▸ To behave in ways that carry meaning in social contexts.
   • Individuals in societies perform all the time.

Forms

Deriveds

non-performing loan · performent · coperform · performant · performator · misperform · nonperforming · performativity · performable · performative · performatory · unperform · performer · reperform · underperform · performation · performance · performability · outperform · unperformed · overperform

Relateds

preform · preformance

Translations (170)

es entremesear (to do something in front of an audience) · ru выполня́ть (to do something in front of an audience) · bg извършвам (transitive: to do (something)) · ja 実行する (transitive: to do (something)) · ne गर्नु (transitive: to do (something)) · cmn 進行 /进行 (transitive: to do (something)) · hu megtesz (transitive: to do (something)) · ru испо́лнить (to do something in front of an audience) · ca representar (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · an efectuar (transitive: to do (something)) · fi käyttäytyä (social science: to behave in accordance with) · ru выполня́ть (transitive: to do (something)) · fi käyttäytyä (social science: to behave in ways that carry meaning) · cmn 執行 /执行 (transitive: to do (something)) · hu funkcionál (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · la fungor (transitive: to do (something)) · es bordar (to do something in front of an audience) · az çıxış etmək (to do something in front of an audience) · de Arbeit leisten (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · uk вико́нувати (transitive: to do (something)) · hu előad (to do something in front of an audience) · fi suorittaa (transitive: to do (something)) · de bringen (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · cmn 表演 (to do something in front of an audience) · de verrichten (transitive: to do (something)) · ca representar (to do something in front of an audience) · fi suoriutua (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · scn rializzari (transitive: to do (something)) · it comportarsi con correttezza (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · es fungir (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · de auftreten (to do something in front of an audience) · es ejecutar (to do something in front of an audience) · got 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (transitive: to do (something)) · an fer (transitive: to do (something)) · cmn 實行 /实行 (transitive: to do (something)) · cs provést (transitive: to do (something)) · ru проводи́ть (transitive: to do (something)) · scn esicutari (transitive: to do (something)) · de vorschützen (to behave theatrically, to feign) · hu teljesít (law: to fulfill contractually agreed-to terms) · de vollbringen (transitive: to do (something)) · fr danser (to do something in front of an audience) · scn adìnchiri (law: to fulfill contractually agreed-to terms) · hu játszik (to do something in front of an audience) · da udføre (transitive: to do (something)) · es interpretar (to do something in front of an audience) · scn mprisiari (to behave theatrically, to feign) · hu színlel (to behave theatrically, to feign) · sv uppträda (to do something in front of an audience) · de vortäuschen (to behave theatrically, to feign) · an cumplir (transitive: to do (something)) · osx frummian (transitive: to do (something)) · hu fellép (to do something in front of an audience) · hu ... teljesítményt nyújt (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · ca realitzar (transitive: to do (something)) · zdj udjimiza (transitive: to do (something)) · fi onnistua (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · nl verrichten (transitive: to do (something)) · ru исполня́ть (to do something in front of an audience) · es entremesar (to do something in front of an audience) · es llevar a cabo (transitive: to do (something)) · uk ви́конати (transitive: to do (something)) · es desempeñar (to do something in front of an audience) · pt fazer (transitive: to do (something)) · fr performer (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · mhr ышташ (transitive: to do (something)) · de aufführen (to do something in front of an audience) · fr jouer (to do something in front of an audience) · scn fari u tiatrista (to behave theatrically, to feign) · et esinema (to do something in front of an audience) · fi esittää (to do something in front of an audience) · pt levar a cabo (transitive: to do (something)) · hu elvégez (transitive: to do (something)) · ru вы́ступить (to do something in front of an audience) · de Arbeit verrichten (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · scn effittuari (transitive: to do (something)) · ko 수행하다 (transitive: to do (something)) · de leisten (law: to fulfill contractually agreed-to terms) · pt realizar (transitive: to do (something)) · ru сыгра́ть (to do something in front of an audience) · de vollführen (transitive: to do (something)) · es primorear (to do something in front of an audience) · fi noudattaa (law: to act in accordance with) · bg играя (to behave theatrically, to feign) · hu tettet (to behave theatrically, to feign) · ko 실행하다 (transitive: to do (something)) · bg изпълнявам (law: to act in accordance with) · az ifa etmək (to do something in front of an audience) · osx gifrummian (transitive: to do (something)) · hu megjátszik (to behave theatrically, to feign) · ca actuar (to do something in front of an audience) · es efectuar (transitive: to do (something)) · sq byr (transitive: to do (something)) · ja 演奏する (to do something in front of an audience) · hu működik (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · nl uitvoeren (transitive: to do (something)) · bg изпълня́вам (to do something in front of an audience) · de ausführen (transitive: to do (something)) · hu teljesít (law: to act in accordance with) · fr chanter (to do something in front of an audience) · hu végez (transitive: to do (something)) · bg изпълнявам (law: to fulfill contractually agreed-to terms) · osx fremmian (transitive: to do (something)) · fr effectuer (transitive: to do (something)) · pl wykonywać (transitive: to do (something)) · ang æfnan (transitive: to do (something)) · fi menestyä (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · fi panna täytäntöön (law: to act in accordance with) · fr exécuter (transitive: to do (something)) · fi täyttää ehdot (law: to fulfill contractually agreed-to terms) · es desempeñarse (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · fi näytellä (to behave theatrically, to feign) · fi tehdä (transitive: to do (something)) · hu mímel (to behave theatrically, to feign) · de vorspielen (to behave theatrically, to feign) · it recitare (to do something in front of an audience) · fi teeskennellä (to behave theatrically, to feign) · de durchführen (transitive: to do (something)) · it eseguire (transitive: to do (something)) · enm parformen (law: to fulfill contractually agreed-to terms) · hu teljesít (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · sw kushika (transitive: to do (something)) · gd gabh (to do something in front of an audience) · fr interpréter (to do something in front of an audience) · ru вы́полнить (transitive: to do (something)) · de performen (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · an realizar (transitive: to do (something)) · io exekutar (transitive: to do (something)) · de spielen (to do something in front of an audience) · ca interpretar (to do something in front of an audience) · ru провести́ (transitive: to do (something)) · hu véghez visz (transitive: to do (something)) · bg предста́вям (to do something in front of an audience) · vi biểu diễn (to do something in front of an audience) · es realizar (transitive: to do (something)) · ru игра́ть (to do something in front of an audience) · ar أَدَّى (transitive: to do (something)) · enm parformen (transitive: to do (something)) · nl presteren (transitive: to do (something)) · eo plenumi (law: to fulfill contractually agreed-to terms) · cmn 演出 (to do something in front of an audience) · ru выступа́ть (to do something in front of an audience) · nl opvoeren (to do something in front of an audience) · ru вы́полнить pf a trick (to do something in front of an audience) · pt interpretar (to do something in front of an audience) · enm parformen (law: to act in accordance with) · te ప్రదర్శించు (to do something in front of an audience) · pl wykonać (to do something in front of an audience) · fr faire (transitive: to do (something)) · fi omaksua (social science: to behave in ways that carry meaning) · nl houden (transitive: to do (something)) · es performear (to do something in front of an audience) · pt apresentar-se (to do something in front of an audience) · sv utföra (transitive: to do (something)) · es performar (to do something in front of an audience) · de erfüllen (law: to act in accordance with) · ang drēogan (transitive: to do (something)) · hu szuperál (intransitive: to exhibit an expected pattern of behavior) · grc ἐξεργάζομαι (transitive: to do (something)) · gl realizar (transitive: to do (something)) · hu végrehajt (transitive: to do (something)) · no utføre (transitive: to do (something)) · fr accomplir (transitive: to do (something)) · hu szerepel (to do something in front of an audience) · pl wykonać (transitive: to do (something)) · es cumplir (transitive: to do (something)) · scn fari (transitive: to do (something)) · gd cuir an gnìomh (transitive: to do (something)) · it adempiere (law: to fulfill contractually agreed-to terms) · eo roli (to do something in front of an audience)