Note: In America the name is often applied to several large univalves, as Fulgur carica, and F. canaliculata.
PERIWINKLE Per"i*win`kle, n. Etym: [OE. pervenke, AS. pervince, fr. L. pervinca.] (Bot.)
Defn: A trailing herb of the genus Vinca.
Note: The common perwinkle (Vinca minor) has opposite evergreen leaves and solitary blue or white flowers in their axils. In America it is often miscalled myrtle. See under Myrtle.
PERJENET
Per"jen*et, n. Etym: [Cf. Pear, and Jenneting.]
Defn: A kind of pear. [Obs.] Chaucer.
PERJURE
Per"jure, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Perjured; p. pr. & vb. n. Perjuring.]
Etym: [F. parjurer, L. perjurare, perjerare; per through, over +
jurare to swear. See Jury.]
1. To cause to violate an oath or a vow; to cause to make oath knowingly to what is untrue; to make guilty of perjury; to forswear; to corrupt; — often used reflexively; as, he perjured himself. Want will perjure The ne'er-touched vestal. Shak.
2. To make a false oath to; to deceive by oaths and protestations.
[Obs.]
And with a virgin innocence did pray For me, that perjured her. J.
Fletcher.
Syn. — To Perjure, Forswear. These words have been used interchangeably; but there is a tendency to restrict perjure to that species of forswearing which constitutes the crime of perjury at law, namely, the willful violation of an oath administered by a magistrate or according to law.