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perish the thought

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Perish The Thought
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per⋅ish

  [per-ish]
Use perish the thought in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. 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.
—Idiom
5. perish the thought, may it never happen: used facetiously or as an afterthought of foreboding.
Origin:
1200–50; ME perissen < OF periss-, long s. of perir < L perīre to perish, lit., go through, spend fully, equiv. to per- per- + īre to go

Related forms:
per⋅ish⋅less, adjective
per⋅ish⋅ment, noun

Synonyms:
1. expire. See die 1 . 2. wither, shrivel, rot, molder, vanish.

Antonyms:
2. appear.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Perish The Thought
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per·ish   (pěr'ĭsh)   
v.   per·ished, per·ish·ing, per·ish·es

v.   intr.

  1. To die or be destroyed, especially in a violent or untimely manner: "Must then a Christ perish in torment in every age to save those who have no imagination?" (George Bernard Shaw).

  2. To pass from existence; disappear gradually: "Man will go down into the pit, and all his thoughts will perish" (A.J. Balfour).

  3. Chiefly British To spoil or deteriorate.

v.   tr.
To bring to destruction; destroy: "Many foul blights/Perish'd his hard won gains" (Thomas Hood).

[Middle English perishen, from Old French perir, periss-, to perish, from Latin perīre : per-, per- + īre, to go; see ei- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Idioms & Phrases

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.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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