per ‧ me ‧ ate /ˈpɜːmieɪt $ ˈpɜːr-/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of permeare 'to go through' ]
1 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] if liquid, gas etc permeates something, it enters it and spreads through every part of it:
The smell of diesel oil permeated the air.
permeate through/into
Rain permeates through the ground to add to ground water levels.
2 . [transitive] if ideas, beliefs, emotions etc permeate something, they are present in every part of it:
Racism continues to permeate our society.
An emotional intensity permeates every one of O'Connor’s songs.