Periwinkle
(Per"i*win`kle) n. [From AS. pinewincla a shellfish, in which pine- is fr. L. pina, pinna,
a kind of mussel, akin to Gr. . Cf. Winkle.] (Zoöl.) Any small marine gastropod shell of the genus
Littorina. The common European species in Europe extensively used as food, has recently become
naturalized abundantly on the American coast. See Littorina.
In America the name is often applied to several large univalves, as Fulgur carica, and F. canaliculata.
Periwinkle
(Per"i*win`kle), n. [OE. pervenke, AS. pervince, fr. L. pervinca.] (Bot.) A trailing herb of
the genus Vinca.
The common perwinkle (Vinca minor) has opposite evergreen leaves and solitary blue or white flowers
in their axils. In America it is often miscalled myrtle. See under Myrtle.
Perjenet
(Per"jen*et) n. [Cf. Pear, and Jenneting.] A kind of pear. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Perjure
(Per"jure) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Perjured ; p. pr. & vb. n. Perjuring.] [F. parjurer, L. perjurare,
perjerare; per through, over + jurare to swear. See Jury.]
1. To cause to violate an oath or a vow; to cause to make oath knowingly to what is untrue; to make
guilty of perjury; to forswear; to corrupt; — often used reflexively; as, he perjured himself.
Want will perjure
The ne'er-touched vestal.
Shak. 2. To make a false oath to; to deceive by oaths and protestations. [Obs.]
And with a virgin innocence did pray
For me, that perjured her.
J. Fletcher. Syn. — To Perjure, Forswear. These words have been used interchangeably; but there is a tendency
to restrict perjure to that species of forswearing which constitutes the crime of perjury at law, namely,
the willful violation of an oath administered by a magistrate or according to law.
Perjure
(Per"jure), n. [L. perjurus: cf. OF. parjur, F. parjure.] A perjured person. [Obs.] Shak.
