perfect: Meaning and Definition of

per•fect

Pronunciation: (adj., n.pûr'fiktv.p&schwar&sylpfekt'), [key]
— adj.
  1. conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal type: a perfect sphere; a perfect gentleman.
  2. excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement: There is no perfect legal code. The proportions of this temple are almost perfect.
  3. exactly fitting the need in a certain situation or for a certain purpose: a perfect actor to play Mr. Micawber; a perfect saw for cutting out keyholes.
  4. entirely without any flaws, defects, or shortcomings: a perfect apple; the perfect crime.
  5. accurate, exact, or correct in every detail: a perfect copy.
  6. thorough; complete; utter: perfect strangers.
  7. pure or unmixed: perfect yellow.
  8. unqualified; absolute: He has perfect control over his followers.
  9. expert; accomplished; proficient.
  10. unmitigated; out-and-out; of an extreme degree: He made a perfect fool of himself.
    1. having all parts or members present.
    2. monoclinous.
    1. noting an action or state brought to a close prior to some temporal point of reference, in contrast to imperfect or incomplete action.
    2. designating a tense or other verb formation or construction with such meaning.
    1. applied to the consonances of unison, octave, and fifth, as distinguished from those of the third and sixth, which are called imperfect.
    2. applied to the intervals, harmonic or melodic, of an octave, fifth, and fourth in their normal form, as opposed to augmented and diminished.
  11. (of a set) equal to its set of accumulation points.
  12. assured or certain.
—n.
—v.t.
  1. to bring to completion; finish.
  2. to bring to perfection; make flawless or faultless.
  3. to bring nearer to perfection; improve.
  4. to make fully skilled.
  5. to print the reverse of (a printed sheet).
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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