‖n.; pl. Cerci /plu>. [ NL., fr. Gr. ke`rkos tail. ] (Zool.) See Cercopod. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. perruque, It. perrucca, parrucca, fr. L. pilus hair. Cf. Periwig, Wig, Peel to strip off, Plush, Pile a hair. ] A wig; a periwig. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To dress with a peruke. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Perulæ [ L., dim. of pera wallet, Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. pérule. ] 1. (Bot.) One of the scales of a leaf bud. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) A pouchlike portion of the perianth in certain orchides. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Perula. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Peruse. ] 1. The act of carefully viewing or examining. [ R. ] Tatler. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of reading, especially of reading through or with care. Woodward. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Perused p. pr. & vb. n. Perusing. ] [ Pref. per- + use. ] 1. To observe; to examine with care. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Myself I then perused, and limb by limb
Surveyed. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To read through; to read carefully. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who peruses. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. péruvien, Sp. peruviano. ] Of or pertaining to Peru, in South America. -- n. A native or an inhabitant of Peru. [ 1913 Webster ]

Peruvian balsam. See Balsam of Peru, under Balsam. --
Peruvian bark, the bitter bark of trees of various species of Cinchona. It acts as a powerful tonic, and is a remedy for malarial diseases. This property is due to several alkaloids, as quinine, cinchonine, etc., and their compounds; -- called also Jesuit's bark, and cinchona. See Cinchona. [ 1913 Webster ]