▪ I. † ˈperpetrate, pa. pple. Obs.
Also 5–6 -at.
[ad. L. perpetrāt-us, pa. pple. of perpetrāre: see next. In use before introduction of the finite vb., and after that as its pa. pple., until displaced by perpetrated.]
Perpetrated.
| 1472–3 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 19/1 Treasons and Felonyes..by any persone done or perpetrat. a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV 244 The great tyrannye..that he and his people had perpetrate and committed. 1549 Compl. Scot. x. 82 These cruel inuasions perpetrat contrar oure realme. c 1614 Sir W. Mure Dido & æneas i. 375 Pigmalion's cruell crime, Against her mate in privy perpetrate. |
▪ II. perpetrate, v.
(ˈpɜːpɪtreɪt)
[f. ppl. stem of L. perpetrāre to carry through, execute, perform, f. per- 1 + patrāre to bring to pass, effect. In Latin, the thing perpetrated might be good or bad; but in Eng. the verb, having been first used in the statutes in reference to the committing of crimes, has been associated with evil deeds.]
trans. To perform, execute, or commit (a crime or evil deed).
| 1547 Act 1 Edw. VI, c. 12 §5 Yf anny parsone being ons conuicted..shall..eftsones commit or perpetrate anny of the offences before mentioned. 1581 Lambarde Eiren. ii. vii. (1588) 264 If the offence bee perpetrated in a Barne of the house. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 34 To perpetrate like villany on the other Princes. 1749 Smollett Regicide v. ii, The auspicious hour To perpetrate the deed. 1855 Prescott Philip II, I. i. vi. 79 All the usual atrocities were perpetrated by the brutal soldiery. |
† b. in neutral sense. Obs. rare.
| 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 881 Success, the mark no mortal Wit, Or surest hand can always hit: For whatsoe'er we perpetrate, We do but row, w'are steer'd by Fate. |
c. colloq. Used humorously of doing anything which the speaker affects to treat as execrable or shocking; as to perpetrate a pun, perpetrate a caricature, etc.
| 1849 C. Brontë Shirley xxxi, Sir Philip induced two of his sisters to perpetrate a duet. 1861 Craik Hist. Eng. Lit. II. 173 It was now that they [Tate and Brady] perpetrated in concert their version, or perversion, of the Psalms, with which we are still afflicted. Mod. One of the worst puns ever perpetrated. |
Hence ˈperpetrated ppl. a., ˈperpetrating vbl. n.
| 1552 Huloet, Perpetrated, perpetratus. 1643 Milton Divorce ii. iii, The perpetrating of an odious and manifold sin. 1660 R. Coke Justice Vind. Ep. Ded. 3 The most perpetrated villany committed in the sight of the sun. 1697 Dryden æneid viii. 452 The forests, which..Fierce Romulus for perpetrated crimes A sacred refuge made. |