to present, execute, or do in a poor or tasteless manner: Who perpetrated this so-called comedy?
Origin: 1540–50; < L perpetrātus (ptp. of perpetrāre to carry out, execute, perform), equiv. to per-per-+ -petr- (comb. form of patrāre to father, bring about; see pater) + -ā- theme vowel + -tus ptp. suffix; see -ate1
per·pe·trate (pûr'pĭ-trāt') tr.v.
per·pe·trat·ed, per·pe·trat·ing, per·pe·trates To be responsible for; commit: perpetrate a crime; perpetrate a practical joke.
[Latin perpetrāre, perpetrāt-, to accomplish : per-, per- + patrāre, to bring about (from pater, father; see pəter- in Indo-European roots).] per'pe·tra'tion n., per'pe·tra'tor n.
Main Entry: per·pe·trate Pronunciation: 'p&r-p&-"trAt Function: transitive verb Inflected Forms: -trat·ed; -trat·ing : to carry out or bring about (as a crime) —per·pe·tra·tion/"p&r-p&-'trA-sh&n/noun —per·pe·tra·tor/'p&r-p&-"trA-t&r/noun