Peritoneum, Peritonæum, per-i-tō-nē′um, n. a serous membrane which encloses all the viscera lying in the abdominal and pelvic cavities.—adjs. Peritonē′al; Peritonit′ic.—n. Peritonī′tis, inflammation of the peritoneum. [Gr. peritoneion—peri, around, teinein, to stretch.]
Perityphlitis, per-i-tif-lī′tis, n. inflammation of the cæcum, appendix, and connective tissue, or of the peritoneum covering cæcum and appendix. [Gr. peri, round, typhlos, blind (the cæcum being the 'blind gut').]
Perivascular, per-i-vas′kū-lar, adj. surrounding a vascular structure.
Perivisceral, per-i-vis′e-ral, adj. surrounding viscera.
Periwig, per′i-wig, n. a peruke or small wig, usually shortened to Wig: an artificial head of hair.—v.t. to dress with a periwig.—adj. Per′iwig-pā′ted, wearing a periwig. [Old Dut. peruyk—Fr. perruque.]
Periwinkle, per′i-wingk-l, n. a creeping evergreen plant, growing in woods. [M. E. peruenke, through A.S. peruincæ, from L. pervinca, vincīre, to bind.]
Periwinkle, per′i-wingk-l, n. a small univalve mollusc: a small shellfish, abundant between tide-marks on the rocks, boiled and eaten as food. [Corrupted by confusion with preceding from A.S. pinewincla—wincle, a whelk; prov. Eng. pin-patch.]
Perjure, pėr′jōōr, v.t. to swear falsely (followed by a reciprocal pronoun): to cause to swear falsely.—v.i. to be false to one's oath.—n. (Shak.) a perjured person.—adj. Per′jured, having sworn falsely: being sworn falsely, as an oath.—n. Per′jurer.—adjs. Perju′rious, Per′jurous, guilty of perjury.—n. Per′jury, false swearing: the breaking of an oath: (law) the crime committed by one who, when giving evidence on oath as a witness in a court of justice, gives evidence which he knows to be false. [Fr.,—L. perjurāre—per-, jurāre, to swear.]
Perk, pėrk, adj. trim: spruce: jaunty: proud.—v.t. to make smart or trim.—v.i. to hold up the head with smartness: to toss or jerk the head.—adj. Perk′y (Tenn.), perk, trim. [W. perc, trim.]
Perk, pėrk, v.i. (prov.) to peer.—adj. Perk′ing, peering, inquisitive.