Dictionary

perish en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈpeɹəʃ/ (New-Zealand)
• (US) audio
• /ˈpɛɹɪʃ/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈpɛɾɪʃ/ (Scotland, Wales)
• /ˈpeɹɪʃ/ (Australia)

Etymology

From Middle English perishen, borrowed from Old French perir (via the stem periss- used in various conjugations), from Latin perīre (“pass away, perish”), from per (“through”) + īre (“pass, go”).

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing.
   • 1881, Tarafa, translated by W. A. Clouston, The Poem of Tarafa I consider time as a treasure decreasing every night; and that which every day diminishes soon perishes for ever.
2. (intransitive) To decay in such a way that it cannot be used for its original purpose
   • The difficulty is that fresh foods perish due to the multiplication in them of harmful bacteria. 2015, Christopher Cumo, Foods that Changed History:
3. (intransitive) To die; to cease to live.
   • […]the ship struck upon a sand, and […] the sea broke over her in such a manner that we expected we should all have perished immediately; and we were immediately driven into our close quarters, to shelter us from the very foam and spray of the sea. 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC:
   • When it goeth well with the righteous, the citie reioyceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 11:10:
4. (obsolete, transitive) To cause to perish.
   • "Leggo my shou'der, I tell you! Leggo!" He struggled with her, and the customers came forward. "Chrise! I'll perish you, if you ain't careful!" He turned suddenly,... 1898, William Pett Ridge, By Order of the Magistrate, page 209:
   • that closeness did impair and a little perish his understanding 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Friendship”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

perishless · nonperishing · do a perish · unperished · perisher · perishability · publish or perish · unperishing · perish the thought · perishingly

Relateds

perishable

Synonyms

expire · decease · flatline · push up daisies · pay nature's debt · join the choir invisible · go west · go the way of all flesh · pass in one's marble · go the way of the dinosaurs · go out · pass · darken · bite the dust · exit · slip away · kick off · cross the Great Divide · liquidate · close one's eyes for the last time · succumb · turn up one's toes · fall off the twig · assume room temperature · go to one's reward · keel over · cash in one's chips · drop off the hooks · meet one's maker · cark it · pass the river · take a dirt nap · auger in · go over to the majority · draw one's last breath · be no more · hop the twig · disincarnate · be gathered to one's fathers · pass in one's checks · give one's all · bite the big one · check out · cash in · pass away · buy it · kick the bucket · go the way of the dodo bird · pay the debt of nature · pop one's clogs · sink · pass on · knock off · peg out · go the way of the dodo · be with Jesus · sleep with one's fathers · hand in one's checks · go for a burton · hand in one's dinner pail · dematerialize · pass over · meet one's doom · pass away · depart · cross over · lose the number of one's mess · bite the biscuit · be called home · give up the ghost · cross the Styx · croak · be like the the One · snuff it · pop off · decompose · code · perish · decease · be with the Lord · conk out · buy the farm · go to glory · yield up the ghost · meet one's end · shuffle off this mortal coil · forfare

Translations (134)

cu гꙑбнѫти (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ko 멸망하다 (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · qu wañuy (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · be скана́ць (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ru ги́бнуть (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · sw kuangamia (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · cmn 殞 /殒 (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · be кана́ць (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · pl rozpadać się (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · nl sterven (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · lt žūti (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · ja 滅びる (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · sk hynúť (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · pl psuć się (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · de verenden (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ja 亡びる (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ru по́ртиться (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · mi tipoko (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · pl gnić (to decay in such a way that it cannot be used for its original purpose) · la pereō (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · nl omkomen (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · gl perecer (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · fi näivettyä (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · fur perî (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sq agon (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · or ମରତି (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · la aboriscor (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · de umkommen (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · sga ara·chrin (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sk zhynúť (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · fi kadota (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · hi नष्ट (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · ko 죽다 (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · uk погиба́ти (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · pl zgnić (to decay in such a way that it cannot be used for its original purpose) · ru погиба́ть (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ko 비명횡사하다 (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · uk кона́ти (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · cs zhynout (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ms musnah (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · fi pilaantua (to decay in such a way that it cannot be used for its original purpose) · hi नाश (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · ru пропа́сть (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · pl skonać (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · de verderben (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sa नश्यति (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · uk скона́ти (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · uk поги́бнути (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · lv zust (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · cu погꙑбнѫти (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · pl konać (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · txb naut- (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · grc φθείρομαι (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · orv гꙑбнꙋти (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · la abolēscō (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · pt perecer (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · de schlecht werden (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · pdt omkomen (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · be згі́нуць (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · nb omkomme (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · az həlak olmaq (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · uk заги́нути (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · sk zahynúť (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · pl zginąć (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · grc φθείρομαι (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ru поги́бнуть (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · nl bederven (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · pl niszczeć (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · ja 滅亡する (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · rup cher (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · nl vergaan (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ru пропада́ть (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · id binasa (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · pl rozłożyć się (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sa मरति (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ja 死ぬ (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · uk поги́нути (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · pl zniszczeć (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sl poginjati (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · la pereō (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sh поги́бати (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ru испо́ртиться (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · ca perir (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · cs hynout (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · pl rozpaść się (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sh по̀гинути (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · fr périr (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sh pòginuti (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · es fenecer (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · osx āgangan (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · eo perei (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · gl perecer (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · nl vergaan (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sa नश्यति (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · uk зги́нути (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · mk гине (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · orv гꙑнꙋти (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · sv förödas (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sl poginiti (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · sh pogíbati (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · sv stupa (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · es perecer (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ja 斃死する (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · bg заги́вам (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · cmn 死亡 (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ltg gaist (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · ru сги́нуть (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sv förgås (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · cs zahynout (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · sa म्रियते (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · cmn 死 (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · de verderben (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ro pieri (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · it perire (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sv omkomma (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · uk ги́нути (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · mk загине (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · fr périr (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · eo perei (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · bg заги́на (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · be гі́нуць (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ka დაღუპვა (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · pl zepsuć się (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · sga ara·chrin (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · fi menehtyä (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · ko 죽다 (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · pl ginąć (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · mn үхэх (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · de ums Leben kommen (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · es perecer (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · da omkomme (to die, to pass away — see also die, pass away) · id musnah (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · la perbītō (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing) · pl rozkładać się (to decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing)