perpetuity 
IM-rii< t until ili = 1 1. in r/ii-t lit >>!,<. I*. IH'I'/II ttlit<l(t-)n, 
continuity, < perpctuim, cuiitiiiiious, perpetual: 
see jM-i'iiftiiiil.] 1. Tlie state or character of 
being perpetual; endless duration: continued 
uninterrupted existence, or duration through 
the ages or for an indefinite period of time : as, 
the in fin t nil ii of laws and institutions. 
Those laws which God tor perpetuity hath established. 
Hooker, Eccles. 1'ollty. 
A third attribute of the king's majesty is hi perpetuity. 
The law ascribes to him in his political capacity an abso- 
lute immortality. The king never dies. 
Bladtstune, Com., I. vlL 
The Race of man may seem indeed to them to be per- 
petual ; but they see no promise of perpetuity tor Individ- 
uals. Charming, Perfect Life, p. 105. 
2. Something of which there will be no end; 
something lasting forever or for an indefinitely 
long time. 
A mess of pottage for a birthright, a present repast for 
a perpetuity. South, Sermons. 
3. In late: (a) A limitation intended to be unal- 
terable and of indefinite duration; a disposition 
of property which attempts to make it inalien- 
able beyond certain limits fixed or conceived 
as being fixed by the general law. Pollock. 
The evils incident to rendering any specific piece of land 
or fund inalienable, and thus shutting it out from the 
general circulation of property, early led the courts to 
hold provisions for a perpetual suspension of the power 
of alienation to be void. The desire of owners of estates 
to perpetuate the wealth of the family led to attempts to 
create forfeitures and gifts over to other persons, by way 
of shielding the successor In the title from temptation to 
alienate ; and as the right to create life-estates and trusts, 
and to add gifts over to other persons upon the termina- 
tion of precedent estates, could not be wholly denied, the 
question has been what temporary suspension of the power 
of alienation Is reasonable and allowable, and what is too 
remote and to be held void as "tending to create a per- 
petuity." (8ee remotenem.) The limit now generally es- 
tablished for this purpose In varying forms is substantially 
to the effect that no disposition of real property or crea- 
tion of an estate therein is valid If It suspends the absolute 
power of alienation for more than a period measured by 
a life or lives in being plus 21 years and 9 mouths. Hence, 
since literal perpetuities are no longer known, except In 
the law of charities, etc., the phrase rule againitt perpetu- 
ities has come to mean in ordinary usage the rule against 
future estates which are void for remoteness as "tending 
to create a perpetuity." (ft) Duration to all futur- 
ity; exemption from intermission or ceasing. 
4. In the doctrine of annuities, the number 
of years in which the simple interest of any 
principal sum will amount to the same as the 
principal itself; or the number of years' pur- 
chase to be given for an annuity which is to 
continue forever; also, the annuity itself in 
perpetuity, for an endless or an indefinite length of time ; 
forever. 
Perpignan wood. See wood. 
perplantt, v. t. [< L. per, through, + plantare, 
plant.] To plant or fix firmly or deeply. 
His especlall truste and confidence was perplaiUed In 
the hope of their ndelite. 
Hall, Richard III., f. 27. (Ilalliu-cll.) 
perplext (per-pleks'), a. and . [< OF. perplex, 
F. perplexe = Sp. perplejci = Pg.nerplexo = It. 
perplesso, < L. perplexus, entangled, confused, 
< per, through, + plexus, pp. of plectere, plait, 
weave, braid : see plait. Cf . complex.'] I. a. 
Intricate; difficult. 
How the soul directs the spirit for the motion of the body 
according to the several animal exigents is as perplex in 
the theory as either of the former. 
Olanvitle, Vanity of Dogmatizing, 111. 
II. n. A difficulty; an entanglement; some- 
thing hard to understand ; a perplexity. 
There 's a perplex ! I could have wished . . . the author 
. . . had added notes. 
Goldsmith, Citizen of the World, cxiii. 
perplex (p&r-pleks'), v. t. [< perplex, a.] 1. 
To make intricate; involve; entangle; make 
complicated and difficult to be understood or 
unraveled. 
Are not the choicest fables of the poets, 
That were the fountains and first springs of wisdom. 
Wrapped in perplexed allegories ? 
B. Jamon, Alchemist, 11. 1. 
His tongue 
Dropped manna, and could make the worse appear 
I In- better reason, to perplex and dash 
Maturest counsels. Milton, P. L., II. 114. 
I much admlr'd the contorslons of the Thea roote, which 
was so perplfx'd, large, and Intricate, and witliall hard as 
I**. Evelyn, Diary, March 11, 1690. 
There Is one unintelligible word, which I fear will ex- 
tremely perplex my dissertation. Stetle, Tatler, No. 25. 
2. To embarrass; puzzle; distract; bewilder; 
trouble with suspense, anxiety, or ambiguity. 
We are perplexed, but not in despair. -J ( 'or. Iv. 8. 
Love with Doubts perplexes still thy Mind. 
Congrepe. tr. of Ovid's Art of Love. 
4411 
Wondering Science stands, herself perplexed 
At each day's miracle, and asks " What next '!" 
0. W. Holmes, The School-Boy. 
= 8yn. 1. To complicate, tangle, snarl. 2. I'uzde, etc. 
(see embarroM), confuse, harass, pose, nonplus, put to a 
stand, mystify. 
perplexedly (per-plek'sed-li), ailr. 1. In a 
perplexed manner; with perplexity. 2f. In a 
perplexing manner; intricately; with involu- 
tion ; in an involved or intricate manner. 
He handles the questions very perplexedly. 
111,. Bull, Works, III. 1085. 
perplexedness (per-plek'sed-nes), n. Perplex- 
ity. 
Musidorus shortly, as In haste and full of passionate 
perplexedneta, . . . recounted his case unto her. 
Sir P. Sidney, Arcadia, i. 
perplexfult (per-pleks'ful), a. [< perplex + 
-fitl.] Perplexing. 
There are many mysteries in the world, which curious 
wits with perplex/ul studies strive to apprehend. 
lieu. T. Adami, Works, I. 63. 
perplexingly (per-plek'sing-li), adv. In a per- 
plexing manner; in such a way as to perplex 
or embarrass; bewilderingly. 
perplexity (per-plek'si-ti), n. ; pi. perplexities 
(-tiz). [< ME. perplexitee, < OF. perpkxite, F. 
perplexiti = Sp. pcrplejidad = Pg. perplexidade 
= It. perplessita, < LL. perplexita(t-)s, perplex- 
ity, obscurity, < L. perplexus, confused: see per- 
plex, a.] 1. An intricate or involved state or 
condition; the character of being intricate, 
complicated, or involved. 
Tho was betwene my preste and meu 
Debate and great perpiexitfe. 
Gouer, Coal. Amant., vlil. 
Let him look for the labyrinth; for I cannot discern 
any, unless In the perplexity of his own thoughts. 
SHUingJket. 
2. The state of being perplexed ; distraction of 
mind through doubt or difficulty; embarrass- 
ment; bewilderment. 
Such perplexity of mind 
As dreams too lively leave behind. 
Coleridge, Christabel, ii. 
A case of perplexity as to right conduct, If It Is to be one 
In which philosophy can serve a useful purpose, must be 
one of bona fide perplexity of conscience. 
T. a. Oreen, Prolegomena to Ethics, 313. 
3. A perplexing circumstance, state of things, 
or conjuncture of affairs ; whatever is a source 
of distraction or puzzlement of mind. 
Comforting himself with hoping that, If he were not al- 
ready converted, the time might come when he should be 
so, he Imparted his feelings to those poor women whose 
conversation had first brought him into these perplexities 
and struggles. Southey, Buuyan, p. 22. 
perplexivenesst (per-plek'siv-nes), n. The 
quality of being perplexing ; tendency to per- 
plex. 
The perplexivenew of imagination. 
Dr. H. More, Immortal, of Soul, I. 2. 
perplexlyt (per-pleks'li), adv. In an involved 
or perplexing manner. 
Set down so perplexly by the Saxon Annalist, ill Knitted 
with utterance, as with much ado can be understood 
sometimes what is spok'n. Milton, Hist. Eng., v. 
perplextt, perplextlyt. Obsolete spellings of 
perplexed, perplexedly. 
perpolitet, a. [< L. perpolitus, thoroughly pol- 
ished, pp. otperpolire, polish thoroughly, < per, 
through, + polire, polish: see polish, polite.] 
Highly polished. 
I find those numbers thou do st write 
To be most soft, terce, sweet, and perpclite. 
Herriet, To Harmar. 
perpondert (per-pon'der), v. t. [< per- + pon- 
der. Cf. perpend 1 .] To ponder well. 
Perponderol the Red-Herri nge's priori ty and prevalence. 
Sathe, Lenten Stufle (Ilarl. Misc., VI. 157), (Dane*.) 
perpotation (per-po-ta'shon), . [< L. perpo- 
tatw(n-), a continued drinking, < perpotare, 
drink without intermission, (per, through, 4- 
potare, drink : see notation.'] The act of drink- 
ing deeply or much ; a drinking-bout. 
perquiret, >' t. [< L. perquirere, ask or inquire 
after diligently, make diligent search for. < per, 
through, + qtuerere, seek: see guest.] To 
search into. Clooery's Divine Glimpses (1659), 
p. 73. (Ballitcell.) 
perquisite (per'kwi-zit), n. and a. [< ML. per- 
quisitvm, anything purchased, also extra profit 
beyond the yearly rent, arising from fines, 
waifs, etc. ; prop. neut. of L. perquisites, pp. of 
perquirere, make diligent search for: see per- 
i/nirc; in the adj. use, < L. perquisitus.] I. . 
1. An incidental emolument, profit, gain, or 
fee, over and above the fixed or settled income, 
perriwig 
salary, or wages; something recei veil inciden- 
tally and in addition to regular wages, salary, 
fees, etc. 
The Perquiritetot my Place, taking the King's Fee away, 
came far short of what he promised me at my first coming 
to him. Uovell. Letters, L v. 82. 
I was apprized of the usual perauitite required upon 
these occasions. Quldnnith, Vicar, xxv. 
2. In law, whatever one gets by industry or 
purchases with his money, as distint;iii^lji ! 
from things which come to him by descent. 
H. a. That mav or must be sought out. 
[Rare.] 
In the work of faith it Is first needful that yon get all 
the periruiiitf helps of natural light, . . . to befriend the 
supernatural revelations. Baxter, Life of Faith, II. 1. 
perquisitedt (per'kwi-zit-ed), a. [< pm//.W/r 
+ -erf 2 .] Supplied with perquisites. 
If peryuwiied varlets frequent stand, 
And each new walk must a new tax demand. 
S,n-,i ,. 
perquisition (per-kwi-zish'on), n. [< P. per- 
quisition = It. perguisizioiie, < ML. perquisi- 
tio(n-), < L. perguirere, pp. perquisitus, seek 
after: see perquisite.] Diligent search or in- 
quiry. 
So fugitive as to escape all the nitrations and peryuia- 
tiont of the most nice observers. Bp. Berkeley, Siris, 1 127. 
perquisitor (per-kwiz'i-tor), . [< P. perquisi- 
teur, < L. perquisitor, a seeker out, a hunter af- 
ter, <. perquirere, pp. perquisitus, seek after: see 
perquisite.] 1. In the law of real property, the 
one who was the first of the family to acquire 
(otherwise than by descent) the estate to which 
any others of the family have succeeded ; the 
first purchaser. See purchaser. 
At common law inheritable blood is only such as flows 
t from the perquiritur. 
Judge Woodward, In Roberts's Appeal, 38 Pa. St., 420. 
2. A searcher. Wharton. 
perradial (per-ra'di-al), a. [< perradius + 
-al.] Primarily or fundamentally radial ; per- 
taining to the original or primary rays of a 
hydrozoan: said of certain parts or processes, as 
tentacles, as distinguished from those which are 
secondary and tertiary, or interradial and ad- 
radial : as, the perradial marginal bodies of a 
hydrozoan. 
perradius (per-ra'di-us), . ; pi. perradii (-i). 
[NL., < L. per, through, + radius, ray. ] One 
of the primary or fundamental rays or radiat- 
ing parts or processes of a hydrozoan. in many 
hydrozoans, as scyphomedusans, the perradii are definite- 
ly four In number, alternating with four interradii, and 
situated between pairs of eight adradil. 
perre>, . Same as perryl, piny, perry'*. 
perrewigt, . An obsolete form oi periwig. 
perreyt, Same as perry 3 . 
perriet, . 8eeperry>; 
perriert (per'i-er), n. [< ME. perrier, OP. per- 
rier, perriere, F. pierrier, perriere, < ML. petra- 
ria, an engine for throwing stones, < petra (> 
F. pierre), a stone: see petrary, pier.] 1. A 
Pettier, dcf. I. 
ballistic war-engine for throwing stones, used 
in the middle ages. 2. An early form of can- 
non the ball of which was of stone. 
First there were sixe great gunnea, cannons, perriert of 
braise, that shot a stone of three foot and a halfe. 
HaHuyft Voyage* II. 79. 
perrieret,". [ME.,<OF.jx>m<?n'e: seeperry*.] 
Same as 
The souerayn hytn self e was a sete rioll, 
light full of perrien* & of proude gemys, 
Atyret with a tabernacle of Eyntayill fyn. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1870. 
perrieret (per-iar'), . [F. : seeperrier.] Same 
as perrier. 
Bid Miles bring up the perrirn. 
Morrit, A Good Knight in Prison. 
peiriwigt, " An obsolete form of periiria. 
