perform
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle English performen, parfournen (“to perform”), from Anglo-Norman performer, parfourmer, alteration of Old French parfornir, parfurnir (“to complete, accomplish, perform”), from par- + fornir, furnir (“to accomplish, furnish”), from Frankish *frumjan (“to accomplish, furnish”), from Proto-Germanic *frumjaną, *framjaną (“to further, promote”), from Proto-Indo-European *promo- (“in front, forth”), *per- (“forward, out”). Cognate with Old High German frummen (“to do, execute, accomplish, provide”), Old Saxon frummian (“to perform, promote”), Old English fremman (“to perform, execute, carry out, accomplish”), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌿𐌼𐌾𐌰𐌽 (frumjan, “to promote, accomplish”). See also frame, from.
PronunciationEdit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /pəˈfɔːm/, enPR: pər-fôrmʹ
- (General American) IPA(key): /pɚˈfɔɹm/, enPR: pər-fôrmʹ
Audio (GA) (file) - Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)m
- Hyphenation: per‧form
VerbEdit
perform (third-person singular simple present performs, present participle performing, simple past and past participle performed)
- To do something; to execute.
- 2013 July-August, Lee S. Langston, “The Adaptable Gas Turbine”, in American Scientist:
- Turbines have been around for a long time—windmills and water wheels are early examples. The name comes from the Latin turbo, meaning vortex, and thus the defining property of a turbine is that a fluid or gas turns the blades of a rotor, which is attached to a shaft that can perform useful work.
- The scientists performed several experiments.
- It took him only twenty minutes to perform the task.
- (transitive, intransitive) To do (something) in front of an audience, such as acting or music, often in order to entertain.
- She will perform in the play.
- The magician performed badly – none of his tricks worked.
- The string quartet performed three pieces by Haydn.
- c. 1608–1609, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act III, scene ii]:
- Perform a part thou hast not done before.
Derived termsEdit
Derived terms
TranslationsEdit
to do something
|
|
to do something in front of an audience
|
to be checked
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Further readingEdit
- perform in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- perform in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- perform at OneLook Dictionary Search