perfect

per·fect (pûr

kt)

adj.

1. Lacking nothing essential to the whole; complete of its nature or kind.

2. Being without defect or blemish: a perfect specimen.

3. Thoroughly skilled or talented in a certain field or area; proficient.

4. Completely suited for a particular purpose or situation: She was the perfect actress for the part.

a. Completely corresponding to a description, standard, or type: a perfect circle; a perfect gentleman.

b. Accurately reproducing an original: a perfect copy of the painting.

6. Complete; thorough; utter: a perfect fool.

7. Pure; undiluted; unmixed: perfect red.

8. Excellent and delightful in all respects: a perfect day.

9. Botany Having both stamens and pistils in the same flower; monoclinous.

10. Grammar Of, relating to, or constituting a verb form expressing action completed prior to a fixed point of reference in time.

11. Music Designating the three basic intervals of the octave, fourth, and fifth.

1. Grammar The perfect tense.

2. A verb or verb form in the perfect tense.

tr.v. (p

r-f

) per·fect·ed, per·fect·ing, per·fects

To bring to perfection or completion.

[Middle English perfit, from Old French parfit, from Latin perfectus, past participle of perficere, to finish : per-, per- + facere, to do; see dh- in Indo-European roots.]

per·fecter n.

perfect·ness n.

Synonyms: perfect, consummate, faultless, flawless, impeccable
These adjectives mean being wholly without flaw: a perfect diamond; a consummate performer; faultless logic; a flawless instrumental technique; speaks impeccable French.

Usage Note: Some people maintain that perfect is an absolute term like chief and prime, and therefore cannot be modified by more, quite, relatively, and other qualifiers of degree. But the qualification of perfect has many reputable precedents (most notably in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution in the phrase "in order to form a more perfect Union"). By the same token, perfect often means "ideal for the purposes," as in There could be no more perfect spot for the picnic, where modification by degree makes perfect sense. See Usage Notes at absolute, equal, unique.

perfect

Adjective

1. having all essential elements

2. faultless: a perfect circle

3. correct or precise: perfect timing

4. utter or absolute: a perfect stranger

5. excellent in all respects: a perfect day

6. Maths exactly divisible into equal integral or polynomial roots: 36 is a perfect square

7. Grammar denoting a tense of verbs used to describe a completed action

Noun

Grammar the perfect tense

Verb

1. to improve to one's satisfaction: he is in Paris to perfect his French

2. to make fully accomplished: he perfected the system [Latin perficere to complete]

perfectly adv

USAGE: For most of its meanings, the adjective perfect describes an absolute state, i.e. one that cannot be qualified; thus something is either perfect or not perfect, and cannot be more perfect or less perfect. However when perfect means excellent in all respects, a comparative can be used with it without absurdity: the next day the weather was even more perfect.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	perfect - a tense of verbs used in describing action that has been completed (sometimes regarded as perfective aspect) perfect tense, perfective, perfective tense tense - a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time present perfect, present perfect tense - a perfective tense used to express action completed in the present; "`I have finished' is an example of the present perfect" past perfect, past perfect tense, pluperfect, pluperfect tense - a perfective tense used to express action completed in the past; "`I had finished' is an example of the past perfect" future perfect, future perfect tense - a perfective tense used to describe action that will be completed in the future; "`I will have finished' is an example of the future perfect"
Verb	1.	perfect - make perfect or complete; "perfect your French in Paris!" hone optimise, optimize - make optimal; get the most out of; use best; "optimize your resources" ameliorate, improve, meliorate, amend, better - to make better; "The editor improved the manuscript with his changes" polish up, brush up, round off, polish, round - bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state; "polish your social manners"
Adj.	1.	perfect - being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish; "a perfect circle"; "a perfect reproduction"; "perfect happiness"; "perfect manners"; "a perfect specimen"; "a perfect day" unblemished, unmarred, unmutilated - free from physical or moral spots or stains; "an unblemished record"; "an unblemished complexion" unbroken - not broken; whole and intact; in one piece; "fortunately the other lens is unbroken" exact - marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact; "an exact mind"; "an exact copy"; "hit the exact center of the target" utopian - characterized by or aspiring to impracticable perfection; "the dim utopian future"; "utopian idealists"; "recognized the utopian nature of his hopes" imperfect - not perfect; defective or inadequate; "had only an imperfect understanding of his responsibilities"; "imperfect mortals"; "drainage here is imperfect"
	2.	perfect - without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers; "an arrant fool"; "a complete coward"; "a consummate fool"; "a double-dyed villain"; "gross negligence"; "a perfect idiot"; "pure folly"; "what a sodding mess"; "stark staring mad"; "a thoroughgoing villain"; "utter nonsense"; "the unadulterated truth" arrant, double-dyed, sodding, utter, thoroughgoing, unadulterated, staring, pure, everlasting, consummate, stark, complete, gross unmitigated - not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity; sometimes used as an intensifier; "unmitigated suffering"; "an unmitigated horror"; "an unmitigated lie"
	3.	perfect - precisely accurate or exact; "perfect timing" exact - marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact; "an exact mind"; "an exact copy"; "hit the exact center of the target"

perfect

adjective 1. faultless, correct, pure, accurate, faithful, impeccable, exemplary, flawless, foolproof, blameless << OPPOSITE deficient

adjective 2. excellent, ideal, supreme, superb, splendid, sublime, superlative

adjective 3. immaculate, impeccable, flawless, spotless, unblemished, untarnished, unmarred << OPPOSITE flawed

adjective 4. complete, absolute, sheer, utter, consummate, out-and-out, unadulterated, unmitigated, unalloyed << OPPOSITE partial

adjective 5. exact, true, accurate, precise, right, close, correct, strict, faithful, spot-on Brit. (informal) on the money U.S. unerring

verb 6. improve, develop, polish, elaborate, refine, cultivate, hone << OPPOSITE mar

USAGE For most of its meanings, the adjective perfect describes an absolute state, so that something either is or is not perfect, and cannot be referred to in terms of degree - thus, one thing should not be described as more perfect or less perfect than another thing. However, when perfect is used in the sense of `excellent in all respects', more and most are acceptable, for example the next day the weather was even more perfect.

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