Pe*rus"er (?), n. One who peruses.
Pe*ru"vi*an (?), a. [Cf. F. pÈruvien, Sp. peruviano.] Of or pertaining
to Peru, in South America. -- n. A native or an inhabitant of Peru.
Peruvian balsam. See Balsam of Peru, under Balsam. -- Peruvian bark,
the bitter bark of trees of various species of Cinchona. It acts as a
powerful tonic, and is a remedy for malarial diseases. This property is
due to several alkaloids, as quinine, cinchonine, etc., and their
compounds; -- called also Jesuit's bark, and cinchona. See Cinchona.
Per*vade" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pervaded; p. pr. & vb. n.
Pervading.] [L. pervadere, pervasum; per + vadere to go, to walk. See
Per-, and Wade.] 1. To pass or flow through, as an aperture, pore, or
interstice; to permeate.
That labyrinth is easily pervaded.
Blackstone.
2. To pass or spread through the whole extent of; to be diffused
throughout.
A spirit of cabal, intrigue, and proselytism pervaded all their
thoughts, words, and actions.
Burke.
Per*va"sion (?), n. [L. pervasio. See Pervade.] The act of pervading,
passing, or spreading through the whole extent of a thing. Boyle.
Per*va"sive (?), a. Tending to pervade, or having power to spread
throughout; of a pervading quality. "Civilization pervasive and
general." M. Arnold.
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Per*verse" (?), a. [L. perversus turned the wrong way, not right, p. p.
of pervertereto turn around, to overturn: cf. F. pervers. See Pervert.]
1. Turned aside; hence, specifically, turned away from the right;
willfully erring; wicked; perverted.
The only righteous in a word perverse.
Milton.
2. Obstinate in the wrong; stubborn; intractable; hence, wayward;
vexing; contrary.
To so perverse a sex all grace is vain.
Dryden.
Syn. -- Froward; untoward; wayward; stubborn; ungovernable;
intractable; cross; petulant; vexatious. -- Perverse, Froward. One who
is froward is capricious, and reluctant to obey. One who is perverse
has a settled obstinacy of will, and likes or dislikes by the rule of
contradiction to the will of others.