eared pondfish. — Perch pest, a small crustacean, parasitic in the mouth of the perch. — Silver
perch, the yellowtail. — Stone, or Striped, perch, the pope. — White perch, the Roccus, or
Morone, Americanus, a small silvery serranoid market fish of the Atlantic coast.
Perch
(Perch) n. [F. perche, L. pertica.]
1. A pole; a long staff; a rod; esp., a pole or other support for fowls to roost on or to rest on; a roost; figuratively,
any elevated resting place or seat.
As chauntecleer among his wives all
Sat on his perche, that was in his hall.
Chaucer.
Not making his high place the lawless perch
Of winged ambitions.
Tennyson. 2. (a) A measure of length containing five and a half yards; a rod, or pole. (b) In land or square measure: A
square rod; the 160th part of an acre. (c) In solid measure: A mass 16½ feet long, 1 foot in height, and 1½
feet in breadth, or 24¾ cubic feet (in local use, from 22 to 25 cubic feet); — used in measuring stonework.
3. A pole connecting the fore gear and hind gear of a spring carriage; a reach.
Perch
(Perch), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Perched ; p. pr. & vb. n. Perching.] [F. percher. See Perch a
pole.] To alight or settle, as a bird; to sit or roost.
Wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch.
Shak. Perch
(Perch), v. t.
1. To place or to set on, or as on, a perch.
2. To occupy as a perch. Milton.
Perchance
(Per*chance") adv. [F. par by (L. per) + chance. See Par, and Chance.] By chance; perhaps; peradventure.
Perchant
(Perch"ant) n. [F.] A bird tied by the foot, to serve as decoy to other birds by its fluttering.
Percher
(Perch"er) n. [From Perch, v. i.]
1. One who, or that which, perches. J. Burroughs.
2. One of the Insessores.
3. [From Perch a pole.] A Paris candle anciently used in England; also, a large wax candle formerly
set upon the altar. [Obs.] Bailey.
