▪ I. peril, n.
(ˈpɛrɪl)
Forms: 3– peril; also 3–5 perile, -yl, 4 -ele, 4–5 -ille, -yle, -elle, 4–6 -el, 4–7 -ill, 5 -aill, -eill, -eyl(l, 5–6 -ylle, -ayle, 5–7 -ell, -yll; 4–6 paril, etc.; 6 perr-; (also 5 peral, -ol, pearl, 6 pearil, pearrell).
[a. F. péril (10th c. in Littré) = Pr. peril, perilh, Cat. peril, It. periglio:—L. perīculum, perīclum experiment, trial, risk, danger, f. root of ex-perī-rī to try, make trial of + -culum, suffix naming instruments.]
1. a. The position or condition of being imminently exposed to the chance of injury, loss, or destruction; risk, jeopardy, danger.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 194 Gostlich fondunge..mei beon, uor þe peril, icleoped breoste wunde. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2208 Of peril a se & eke a lond. a 1300 Cursor M. 24852 (Cott.) Þe mariners..war neuer in parel [v.r. perel] mar. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 168 Saturnus after his exil Fro Crete cam in gret peril. ? a 1400 Lydg. Chorle & Byrde 183 Who dredeth no paryll, in paryll he shall falle. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxxxiii. 257 He was neuer in his lyfe in suche perell. 1575 Mirr. Mag., Dk. Somerset xliv, Constant I was in my Princes quarel, To dye or liue and spared for no parel. 1595 Shakes. John iii. i. 295 The perill of our curses light on thee So heauy, as thou shalt not shake them off. 1749 Smollett Regicide ii. viii, Glory Is the fair child of peril. 1832 W. Irving Alhambra II. 166 Having commanded at Malaga during a time of peril and confusion. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 128 In the hour of peril. |
b. Const. (a) of that which is exposed to danger (chiefly with life); (b) of the evil fate that threatens, or (obs. or arch.) of the cause of danger; † (c) to with inf. (obs.).
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 161 In grete perille of saul es þat man Þat has witt and mynde and na gude can. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 1740 In perill of þair lyues þai stode. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. ii. ii. 173 To be in perill of my life with the edge of a featherbed. 1790 Paley Horæ Paul. Wks. 1825 III. 174 He acquitted himself of this commission at the peril of his life. 1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge ii, You were never in such peril of your life as you have been within these few moments. |
| c 1375 Cursor M. 26193 (Fairf.) Quen men is in perel [Cott. wath] of dede. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 301 Þorw þe pas of altoun Pouerte myȝte passe with-oute peril of robbynge. 1481 Caxton Myrr. ii. vi. 76 Kynge Alysaundre..eschewed the parell and daunger of thise olyfauntes. 1553 Bale Vocacyon in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) I. 330 In parell of the sea, in parell of shypwrack. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 5 The..ship-boyes were in perill of those Sharkes. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. xlviii, A vessel in peril of wreck. |
| c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1277 Dido, There as he was in paril for to sterue. c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn lii. 201 He was in pereyll to lose hym selfe and all his ooste. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. Induct. ii. 124 In perill to incurre your former malady. |
2. (with a and pl.) A case or cause of peril; pl. dangers, risks.
peril of the sea (Marine Insurance): see quot. 1872.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 4051 (Cott.) O perils [v.r. perelis] þat he fell in Sum-quat to tell i sal bigin. 1382 Wyclif 2 Cor. xi. 26 In perelis of flodis, in perels of theues, in perelis of kyn, in perels of hethen men [etc.]. 1450–80 tr. Secreta Secret. 21 Pereylis and disesis that are to come of werres, pestilencis [etc.]. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. IV 15 b, To auenture themselfes on a newe chance and a doubtfull parell. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) VI. 181 Scarce one in a thousand survives the numerous perils of its youth. 1817 W. Selwyn Law Nisi Prius (ed. 4) II. 893 It is the province of the jury to determine, whether the cause of the loss be a peril of the sea or not. 1872 Wharton's Law Lex. s.v., Perils of the sea..are strictly the natural accidents peculiar to the water, but the law has extended this phrase to comprehend events not attributable to natural causes, as captures by pirates, and losses by collision, where no blame is attachable to either ship, or at all events to the injured ship. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 93 Soldiers,..who are courageous in perils by sea. 1884 Manch. Exam. 3 May 5/1 The certain perils of such an alliance. |
3. Phrases. † a. at all peril(s: at whatever risk; be the consequences what they may. by the (for, up) peril of my soul, upon my peril, etc.: used as asseverations. in peril of: at the risk of, under the penalty of (see also 1 b). Obs.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 85 At alle peryles, quoth þe prophete, I aproche hit no nerre. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. vi. 47 Nai, bi þe peril of my soule, quod pers. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 561 My gaye scarlet gytes, Thise wormes ne thise Motthes ne thise mytes Vpon my peril frete hem neuer a deel. ― Merch. T. 1127 Vp peril of my soule I shal nat lyen. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. i. 119 Ye lady, on my parel, ye shal see hit. 1607 Shakes. Cor. iii. iii. 102 Wee..banish him our Citie In perill of precipitation From off the Rocke Tarpeian. [1820 Byron Mar. Fal. i. ii, That I speak the truth, My peril be the proof.] |
b. at († on, to) your (his, etc.) peril: you (etc.) taking the risk or responsibility of the consequences: esp. in commands, or warnings, referring to the risk incurred by disregard or disobedience.
| 1433 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 477/1 Such as they woll answere fore atte here perille. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxiv. 200 He sente hastely that they shold not fyght, and yf they dyd that they shold stonde to hir owne perylle. ? a 1550 Freiris of Berwik 541 in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 303 Gif thow dois nocht, on thy awin perrel beid [= be it]. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. ii. 175 Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Lest to thy perill thou abide it deare. 1632 Massinger City Madam iv. ii, Master Shrieve and Master Marshal, On your perils, do your offices. 1664 in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 541 As they will answer the contrary at their perils. 1696 Phillips (ed. 5), Peril,..sometimes used by way of threatning. Do such a thing at your Peril. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. xi, We..bade them keep off at their peril. 1832 H. Martineau Hill & Valley iii. 46 Shew yourselves at your peril. 1881 R. Buchanan God & Man I. 141, ‘I must do my master's bidding.’ ‘At your peril! I have but to give the word, and they would duck you in the horsepond.’ |
† c. without the peril of: beyond the (dangerous) reach or power of: cf. danger n. 1 b. Obs. rare.
| 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iv. i. 158 To be gone from Athens, where we might be Without the perill of the Athenian Law. |
† 4. A matter of danger; a perilous or dangerous matter. Const. it is peril, it is dangerous (to do something). Obs.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6786 Þe heiemen of þe lond wolde hom al day mene Þat hii nadde non eir of him & þat gret peril it was Vor þer miȝte com to al þe lond gret wo uor such cas. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 89 Peril is bothe fyr and tow tassemble. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxvi. 123 It es grete peril to pursue þe Tartarenes. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 60 Whedir it were perelle to do her counsaile or not. c 1540 Pilgr. T. 164 in Thynne's Animadv. 81 You know what perrele it is together to ley hyrdis fast vnto the fyer. |
5. attrib. and Comb., as peril-proof, peril-daring adjs.; peril point U.S. Econ. (see quot. 1965).
| 1605 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iii. ii. Fathers 75 A broad thick breastplate..High peril-proof against affliction. 1807 Montgomery W. Indies ii. 141 The valiant seized in peril⁓daring fight. 1948 Congress. Rec. 26 May 6503/2 No foreign trade agreement could be entered into until the Tariff Commission reports to the President its findings as to the so-called peril-point below which tariffs may not be cut. 1949 Sun (Baltimore) 11 July 10/2 The main innovation in the Republican program is the so-called ‘peril-point’ report which must be made to the President by the Tariff Commission. 1949 Economist 17 Sept., Peril Points. This year's battle over American tariff policy opened just as the Administration was assuring Sir Stafford Cripps and Mr Bevin that the United States would pursue policies appropriate to a great creditor nation. 1961 Ibid. 9 Dec. 1025/2 The President's authority to lower tariffs being renewed grudgingly but limited by ‘peril points’ and ‘escape clauses’. 1965 McGraw-Hill Dict. Mod. Econ. 376 Peril point, the maximum cut in a U.S. import duty which could be made for a given commodity without causing serious injury to domestic producers or to a similar commodity. |
Hence ˈperilless a., without or free from peril.
| a 1614 Sylvester Litt. Bartas 313 In their chamber pain⁓lesse, peril-lesse. |
▪ II. peril, v.
(ˈpɛrɪl)
[f. prec. n.]
1. trans. To put in peril, expose to danger; to imperil, endanger, risk, hazard.
| 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 37 b, If..hir yong be hurt or perilled in their eiesight. 1586 Jas. VI in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. III. 19 It micht perrell my reputation amongst my subjectis. 1647 Trapp Comm. Rev. i. 5 Jonathan perilled his life..for love of David. 1832 H. Martineau Each & All iii. 34 The world would be perilled by their coming together. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. I. xv. 178 It threatened to encroach upon our anchorage, and peril the safety of the vessel. |
2. To take the risk of, venture upon. rare.
| 1849 W. E. Aytoun Edin. after Flodden x, Thou hast done a deed of daring Had been perilled but by few. |
† 3. intr. To be in danger. Obs. rare.
| 1641 Milton Ch. Govt. ii. iii. Wks. (1847) 50 To start back, and glob itself upward from..any soil wherewith it may peril to stain itself. 1647 Trapp Comm. Matt. xiv. 23 Whilst the disciples were perilling, and well-nigh perishing, Christ was praying for them. |
Hence ˈperilled ppl. a., exposed to danger.
| 1845–6 Trench Huls. Lect. Ser. i. vii. 120 To do battle for some perilled truth. 1846 ― Mirac. xxxii. (1862) 449 The natural instinct of defence and love to their perilled Lord. |