to die or be destroyed through violence, privation, etc.:
to perish in an earthquake.
2.
to pass away or disappear:
an age of elegance that has forever perished.
3.
to suffer destruction or ruin:
His valuable paintings perished in the fire.
4.
to suffer spiritual death:
Save us, lest we perish.
Idioms
5.
perish the thought, may it never happen: used facetiously or as an afterthought of foreboding.
Origin
1200-50;Middle Englishperissen < Old Frenchperiss-, long stem of perir < Latinperīre to perish, literally, go through, spend fully, equivalent to per-per- + īre to go
British Dictionary definitions for perish the thought
perish
/ˈpɛrɪʃ/
verb (intransitive)
1.
to be destroyed or die, esp in an untimely way
2.
(transitive sometimes followed by with or from) to cause to suffer: we were perished with cold
3.
to rot: leather perishes if exposed to bad weather
4.
perish the thought!, may it never be or happen thus
noun
5.
(Austral, informal) do a perish, to die or come near to dying of thirst or starvation
Word Origin
C13: from Old French périr, from Latin perīre to pass away entirely, from per- (away) + īre to go
Word Origin and History for perish the thought
perish
v.
mid-13c., from periss- present participle stem of Old French perir "perish, be lost, be shipwrecked" (12c.), from Latin perire "to be lost, perish," literally "to go through," from per- "through, completely, to destruction" (see per) + ire "to go" (see ion). Related: Perished; perishing.
Idioms and Phrases with perish the thought
perish the thought
Don't even think of it. This expression is used as a wish that what was just mentioned will never happen. For example, He's going to give another speech? Perish the thought! This phrase appeared in Handel's oratorio Joshua (1748; text by Thomas Morell): “It never shall be said that our allies in vain implor'd our aid. Perish the thought!” Also see god forbid
perish
In addition to the idiom beginning with perish also see:publish or perish