Perish

/ˈpɛrɪʃ/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to die or be destroyed, especially in a violent or untimely manner.

If the food is not refrigerated, it will quickly perish.

to come to an end; to cease to exist.

Many ancient civilizations have perished over the course of history.

to suffer ruin or destruction.

The delicate ecosystem will perish if pollution continues to spread.

to fade away or disappear.

Her dreams of becoming an artist began to perish as she focused on a more stable career.

Middle English perisshen, from Old French perir, derived from Latin perire 'to pass away, to be destroyed'.

perish the thought:

an expression used to indicate that something should not be considered

to metaphorically die or fail

My phone perished after I dropped it in water.

to stop functioning or break down

This old car is about to perish.