{
    "term": "perish",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "perish",
            "heSheIt": "perishes"
        },
        "pastSimple": "perished",
        "pastParticiple": "perished",
        "ingForm": "perishing"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to die, especially in a sudden violent way",
            "labels": "(formal or literary)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "A family of four perished in the fire."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Thousands perished at the hands of the invading forces."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to be lost or destroyed",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Early buildings were made of wood and have perished."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "if a material such as rubber perishes or is perished, it becomes damaged, weaker or full of holes",
            "sensetop": "perish (something)",
            "labels": "(British English)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to say that you find a suggestion unacceptable or that you hope that something will never happen",
            "labels": "(informal or humorous)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Me get married? Perish the thought!"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈperɪʃ/",
                "audio": "pe/perish/perish__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈperɪʃɪz/",
                "audio": "pe/perish/perishes__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈperɪʃt/",
                "audio": "pe/perish/perished__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈperɪʃɪŋ/",
                "audio": "pe/perish/perishing__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈperɪʃ/",
                "audio": "pe/perish/perish__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈperɪʃɪz/",
                "audio": "pe/perish/perishes__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈperɪʃt/",
                "audio": "pe/perish/perished__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈperɪʃɪŋ/",
                "audio": "pe/perish/perishing__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French periss-, lengthened stem of perir, from Latin perire ‘pass away’, from per- ‘through, completely’ + ire ‘go’."
}