I. ˈpərfikt, ˈpə̄f-, ˈpəif-, -fēkt adjective
( sometimes -er/-est )
Etymology: alteration (influenced by Latin perfectus ) of Middle English perfit, parfit, from OFrench parfit, from Latin perfectus perfect, from past participle of perficere to carry out, complete, perfect, from per-, prefix denoting completion or perfection + -ficere (from facere to do, make) — more at per- , do
1. : accomplished in knowledge or performance : expert , proficient
men more perfect in the use of arms — Shakespeare
— used chiefly in the phrase practice makes perfect
2.
a. : entirely without fault or defect : meeting supreme standards of excellence : flawless
a perfect technique
a perfect gem
a perfect crime
must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect — Mt 5:48 (Revised Standard Version)
a starched shirtfront … if it is not perfect is nothing — Robert Lynd
b. : satisfying all requirements: as
(1) : having precision of form or identity of relationship : accurate , exact
perfect circle
only the stronger and more perfect parts of his music reach me — John Burroughs
its cleavage is in perfect parallel with the base — Encyc. Americana
(2) : corresponding to an archetype : having all the proper characteristics : ideal
a perfect gentleman
the perfect Christmas gift
perfect money should be … endowed with unchanging purchasing power — Ludwig Von Mises
we, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union — U.S. Constitution
(3) : conforming in every particular to an abstract concept
a gas thermometer containing a perfect gas … would give readings directly on Kelvin's thermodynamic scale of temperature — L.C.Jackson
(4) : faithfully reproducing the original
a perfect likeness
record engineers … finally succeeded in giving us music that was acoustically perfect — E.T.Canby
specifically : letter-perfect
(5) : free from any valid legal objection : valid and effective in law
a perfect title
3.
a. : free from admixture or limitation : pure , total
the dim trees below me were in perfect stillness — John Galsworthy
b. : lacking in no essential detail : fully developed : complete , whole
have a perfect baby
the memory of that night remained intact and perfect — Elinor Wylie
complete justification of belief does not depend on … perfect knowledge — W.F.Hambly
c. obsolete : possessing all one's mental faculties : sane
I fear I am not in my perfect mind — Shakespeare
d. : being without qualification : absolute , unequivocal
God possesses perfect power — Charles Hartshorne
has a perfect right to use this division — James Jeans
treats him like a perfect stranger
looks like a perfect angel in her organdy pinafore
e. : of an extreme kind : unmitigated
a perfect little snob — Eugene Walter
a perfect tirade of abuse — S.H.Holbrook
the dog had been in a perfect frenzy, trying to get out — Erle Stanley Gardner
4. obsolete : fully grown or legally competent : mature
sons at perfect age — Shakespeare
5.
[Late Latin perfectus, from Latin]
: of, relating to, or constituting a form of the verb or verbal that expresses an action or state completed at the time of speaking or at a time spoken of — compare future perfect , past perfect , present perfect
6. obsolete
a. : certain , sure
thou art perfect then, our ship hath touched upon … Bohemia — Shakespeare
b. : satisfied , content
then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect — Shakespeare
7.
a. of an interval : belonging to the consonances (as unison, fourth, fifth, and octave) that retain their character when inverted and when raised or lowered by a half step become augmented or diminished — compare major
b.
(1) : of or relating to a note (as a large) in mensural notation equaling three rather than two of the next lower denomination (as a long)
(2) of a rhythmic mode : being in triple time
8.
a. : having its distinctive characters fully developed : typical
a perfect lesion
a perfect jellyfish
b. : sexually mature and fully differentiated — used especially of an insect in the imago stage
the click beetle (the perfect stage of the wireworm) — Farming
c. : monoclinous
II. pə(r)ˈfekt sometimes ˈpərfikt or ˈpə̄f- or ˈpəif- transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: alteration (influenced by Latin perfectus ) of Middle English perfiten, parfiten, from perfit, parfit, adjective
1. : to bring to a state of supreme excellence : rid of faults or drawbacks : improve , refine
art must be selective; nature must be perfected — G.C.Sellery
rhetoric … seeks to perfect men by showing them better versions of themselves — R.M.Weaver
laboratory methods for examining foods had been still further perfected — V.G.Heiser
2.
a. : to plan or carry out to the last detail : bring to a successful conclusion : finish
arrangements we're perfecting to keep newspaper reporters from bothering you — Erle Stanley Gardner
youthful leaners who desired to … perfect their education — H.O.Taylor
b. : to complete or put in final form in conformity with law
to defeat the federal priority a lien … must be both specific and perfected — Harvard Law Review
c. : to print the second side of (a sheet already printed on one side) : back up
3. : to instruct or inform fully
the object of this society is … to perfect its members practically and scientifically — G.B.Cummings
Synonyms: see unfold
III. like perfect I adverb
Etymology: alteration (influenced by Latin perfectus ) of Middle English perfit, parfit, from perfit, parfit, adjective
chiefly dialect : perfectly
IV. like perfect I noun
( -s )
Etymology: perfect (I)
1. : one that is perfect
the perfects go into one bag and the rejects into another — Listener
2.
a. : the perfect tense of a language
b. : a verb form in the perfect tense