Perish
/ˈpɛrɪʃ/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo die, especially in a sudden or violent way; to be destroyed or ruined.
/ˈpɛrɪʃ/
To suffer death, typically in a violent or sudden way.
The crops perished in the drought.
💡 Simply: Imagine a wildfire roaring through a forest, leaving nothing but ashes. That's a way something can 'perish' – it disappears and is gone forever, usually because of something bad happening.
👶 For kids: To die or be destroyed.
More Examples
The old ways of thinking have perished.
Hundreds of soldiers perished in the battle.
How It's Used
"Many people perished in the fire."
"The hero perished at the hands of the villain."
To be destroyed or ruined (often used figuratively).
/ˈpɛrɪʃ/
To suffer complete ruin or destruction.
His hopes of winning perished when he lost the final game.
💡 Simply: Think about the old library that gets torn down and turned into condos. Everything it represents - the books, the history - is gone forever. That is an example of 'perishing' in a more abstract sense, not just about living things, but about ideas, systems, or things.
👶 For kids: To be destroyed or ruined, like if your favorite toy breaks and can't be fixed.
More Examples
The old ways of thinking will soon perish as society moves on.
The organization will perish if it loses its funding.
How It's Used
"Civilization may perish if we do not protect the environment."
Idioms & expressions
perish the thought
Used to express that one hopes that something will not happen.
"Perish the thought that our team will lose the championship game!"
From Old French perir, from Latin perire, meaning 'to die, be destroyed'.
The word 'perish' has been used since the 13th century, often in religious and literary contexts to describe death or destruction.
Memory tip
Picture a ship sinking (perishing) in a storm.
Word Origin
"to die, be destroyed"