prep. [ L. Cf. Far, For-, Pardon, and cf. Par, prep. ] Through; by means of; through the agency of; by; for; for each; as, per annum; per capita, by heads, or according to individuals; per curiam, by the court; per se, by itself, of itself. Per is also sometimes used with English words. [ 1913 Webster ]

Per annum, by the year; in each successive year; annually. --
per cent,
Per centum,
percent, by the hundred; in the hundred; a proportion multiplied by one hundred; -- used esp. of proportions of ingredients, rate or amount of interest, and the like; most commonly used in the shortened form per cent; as, 5 is ten per cent of 50. It is commonly symbolized with the per cent sign, “%”. --
Per diem, by the day. [ For other phrases from the Latin, see Quotations, Phrases, etc., from Foreign Languages, in the Supplement. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

[ See Per. ] 1. A prefix used to signify through, throughout, by, for, or as an intensive as perhaps, by hap or chance; perennial, that lasts throughout the year; perforce, through or by force; perfoliate, perforate; perspicuous, evident throughout or very evident; perplex, literally, to entangle very much. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) Originally, denoting that the element to the name of which it is prefixed in the respective compounds exercised its highest valence; now, only that the element has a higher valence than in other similar compounds; thus, barium peroxide is the highest oxide of barium; while nitrogen and manganese peroxides, so-called, are not the highest oxides of those elements. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. peractus, p. p. of peragere. ] To go through with; to perform. [ Obs. ] Sylvester. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. peracutus. See Per-, and Acute. ] Very sharp; very violent; as, a peracute fever. [ R. ] Harvey. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & conj. [ OE. per aventure, F. par aventure. See Per, and Adventure. ] By chance; perhaps; it may be; if; supposing. “If peradventure he speak against me.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city. Gen. xviii. 24. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Chance; hap; hence, doubt; question; as, proved beyond peradventure. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. perai^os on the opposite side + -pod. ] (Zool.) One of the thoracic legs of a crustacean. See Illust. of Crustacea. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. peragratus, p. p. of peragrate. ] To travel over or through. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. peragratio: cf. F. peragration. ] The act or state of passing through any space; as, the peragration of the moon in her monthly revolution. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To walk about; to ramble; to stroll; as, he perambulated in the park. [ 1913 Webster ]