adjective , verb , noun
■ adjective / ˈpɜːfɪkt; NAmE ˈpɜːrf-/
1.
having everything that is necessary; complete and without faults or weaknesses :
in perfect condition
a perfect set of teeth
Well I'm sorry—but nobody's perfect (= used when sb has criticized you) .
2.
completely correct; exact and accurate :
She speaks perfect English.
a perfect copy / fit / match
What perfect timing !
—see also word-perfect
3.
the best of its kind :
a perfect example of the painter's early style
the perfect crime (= one in which the criminal is never discovered)
4.
excellent; very good :
The weather was perfect.
➡ note at excellent
5.
perfect for sb/sth exactly right for sb/sth
SYN ideal :
It was a perfect day for a picnic.
She's the perfect candidate for the job.
'Will 2.30 be OK for you?' 'Perfect, thanks.'
6.
[ only before noun ] total; complete :
I don't know him—he's a perfect stranger.
7.
( grammar ) connected with the form of a verb that consists of part of the verb have with the past participle of the main verb, used to express actions completed by the present or a particular point in the past or future :
'I have eaten' is the present perfect tense of the verb 'to eat', 'I had eaten' is the past perfect and 'I will have eaten' is the future perfect.
—see also future perfect , past perfect , present perfect
•
IDIOMS
see practice , world
■ verb
/ pəˈfekt; NAmE pərˈf-/ [ vn ] to make sth perfect or as good as you can :
As a musician, she has spent years perfecting her technique.
■ noun
/ˈpɜːfɪkt; NAmE ˈpɜːrf-/ the perfect (also the ˌperfect ˈtense ) [ sing. ] ( grammar ) the form of a verb that expresses actions completed by the present or a particular point in the past or future, formed in English with part of the verb have and the past participle of the main verb
—see also future perfect , past perfect , present perfect
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French perfet , from Latin perfectus completed, from the verb perficere , from per- through, completely + facere do.