1. The act of persevering; persistence in anything undertaken; continued pursuit or prosecution of any
business, or enterprise begun. "The king-becoming graces . . . perseverance, mercy, lowliness." Shak.
Whose constant perseverance overcame
Whate'er his cruel malice could invent.
Milton. 2. Discrimination. [Obs.] Sir J. Harrington.
3. (Theol.) Continuance in a state of grace until it is succeeded by a state of glory; sometimes called
final perseverance, and the perseverance of the saints. See Calvinism.
Syn. — Persistence; steadfastness; constancy; steadiness; pertinacity.
Perseverant
(Per`se*ver"ant) a. [L. perseverans, -antis, p. pr.: cf. F. persévérant.] Persevering. [R.]
"Perseverant faith." Whitby. — Per`se*ver"ant*ly, adv. [R.]
Persevere
(Per`se*vere") v. i. [imp. & p. p. Persevered ; p. pr. & vb. n. Persevering.] [F. persévérer,
L. perseverare, fr. perseverus very strict; per + severus strict, severe. See Per-, and Severe.] To
persist in any business or enterprise undertaken; to pursue steadily any project or course begun; to maintain
a purpose in spite of counter influences, opposition, or discouragement; not to give or abandon what is
undertaken.
Thrice happy, if they know
Their happiness, and persevere upright.
Milton. Syn. — To Persevere, Continue, Persist. The idea of not laying aside is common to these words.
Continue is the generic term, denoting simply to do as one has done hitherto. To persevere is to continue
in a given course in spite of discouragements, etc., from a desire to obtain our end. To persist is to
continue from a determination of will not to give up. Persist is frequently used in a bad sense, implying
obstinacy in pursuing an unworthy aim.
Persevering
(Per`se*ver"ing) a. Characterized by perseverance; persistent. — Per`se*ver"ing*ly, adv.
Persian
(Per"sian) a. [From Persia: cf. It. Persiano. Cf. Parsee, Peach, Persic.] Of or pertaining
to Persia, to the Persians, or to their language.
Persian berry, the fruit of Rhamnus infectorius, a kind of buckthorn, used for dyeing yellow, and imported
chiefly from Trebizond. — Persian cat. (Zoöl.) Same as Angora cat, under Angora. — Persian
columns (Arch.), columns of which the shaft represents a Persian slave; — called also Persians. See
Atlantes. — Persian drill (Mech.), a drill which is turned by pushing a nut back and forth along a
spirally grooved drill holder. — Persian fire (Med.), malignant pustule. — Persian powder. See
Insect powder, under Insect. — Persian red. See Indian red (a), under Indian. — Persian wheel,
a noria; a tympanum. See Noria.
Persian
(Per"sian), n.
1. A native or inhabitant of Persia.
2. The language spoken in Persia.
3. A thin silk fabric, used formerly for linings. Beck.
4. pl. (Arch.) See Persian columns, under Persian, a.
Persic
(Per"sic) a. [L. Persicus. Cf. Persian.] Of or relating to Persia. — n. The Persian language.
Persicaria
(||Per`si*ca"ri*a) n. [NL., from LL. persicarius a peach tree. See Peach.] (Bot.) See Lady's
thumb.
