perish

Definitions

From Latin perire (per- 'thoroughly, all the way' + it 'go') through Old French perir = 'to go completely.' To perish is to go all the way to the end — to die, or for a material, to break down entirely.

Why It Means This

perish builds on the idea of going 'all the way through' (per-) — not just leaving, but going to the absolute end. That total finality is why it means 'to die' rather than merely 'to go,' and why, applied to materials, it means rotting through completely. The British phrase 'perished with cold' even stretches it to mean 'utterly worn out by' something.

Common Collocations

• 1.perish in在……中丧生
• 2.thousands perished数千人丧生
• 3.perish from因……而死亡
• 4.publish or perish不发表就出局

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Hundreds of people perished in the earthquake.

• 2.

  The rubber seals had perished after years in the sun.

• 3.

  Many ancient languages have perished without a trace.

Easily Confused

perish vs die — die is the plain, everyday word. perish is more formal and dramatic, usually for sudden mass death (perished in the flood) or for materials decaying. You wouldn't say 'my grandfather perished peacefully' — that calls for 'died' or 'passed away.'