3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Perpetual  \Per*pet"u*al\,  a.  [OE.  perpetuel,  F.  perp['e]tuel, 
  fr  L.  perpetualis  fr  perpetuus  continuing  throughout, 
  continuous,  fr  perpes,  -etis,  lasting  throughout.] 
  Neverceasing  continuing  forever  or  for  an  unlimited  time; 
  unfailing;  everlasting;  continuous. 
 
  Unto  the  kingdom  of  perpetual  night.  --Shak. 
 
  Perpetual  feast  of  nectared  sweets.  --Milton. 
 
  {Circle  of  perpetual  apparition},  or  {occultation}.  See  under 
  {Circle}. 
 
  {Perpetual  calendar},  a  calendar  so  devised  that  it  may  be 
  adjusted  for  any  month  or  year. 
 
  {Perpetual  curacy}  (Ch.  of  Eng.),  a  curacy  in  which  all  the 
  tithes  are  appropriated,  and  no  vicarage  is  endowed. 
  --Blackstone. 
 
  {Perpetual  motion}.  See  under  {Motion}. 
 
  {Perpetual  screw}.  See  {Endless  screw},  under  {Screw}. 
 
  Syn:  Continual;  unceasing;  endless;  everlasting;  incessant; 
  constant;  eternal.  See  {Constant}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tax  \Tax\,  n.  [F.  taxe,  fr  taxer  to  tax,  L.  taxare  to  touch, 
  sharply,  to  feel  handle,  to  censure,  value,  estimate,  fr 
  tangere  tactum  to  touch.  See  {Tangent},  and  cf  {Task}, 
  {Taste}.] 
  1.  A  charge,  especially  a  pecuniary  burden  which  is  imposed 
  by  authority.  Specifically: 
  a  A  charge  or  burden  laid  upon  persons  or  property  for 
  the  support  of  a  government. 
 
  A  farmer  of  taxes  is  of  all  creditors, 
  proverbially  the  most  rapacious.  --Macaulay. 
  b  Especially,  the  sum  laid  upon  specific  things  as  upon 
  polls,  lands,  houses,  income,  etc.;  as  a  land  tax;  a 
  window  tax;  a  tax  on  carriages,  and  the  like 
 
  Note:  Taxes  are  {annual}  or  {perpetual},  {direct}  or 
  {indirect},  etc 
  c  A  sum  imposed  or  levied  upon  the  members  of  a  society 
  to  defray  its  expenses. 
 
  2.  A  task  exacted  from  one  who  is  under  control;  a 
  contribution  or  service,  the  rendering  of  which  is  imposed 
  upon  a  subject. 
 
  3.  A  disagreeable  or  burdensome  duty  or  charge;  as  a  heavy 
  tax  on  time  or  health. 
 
  4.  Charge;  censure.  [Obs.]  --Clarendon. 
 
  5.  A  lesson  to  be  learned;  a  task.  [Obs.]  --Johnson. 
 
  {Tax  cart},  a  spring  cart  subject  to  a  low  tax.  [Eng.] 
 
  Syn:  Impost;  tribute;  contribution;  duty;  toll;  rate; 
  assessment;  exaction;  custom;  demand. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  perpetual 
  adj  1:  continuing  forever  or  indefinitely;  "the  ageless  themes  of 
  love  and  revenge";  "eternal  truths";  "life 
  everlasting";  "hell's  perpetual  fires";  "the  unending 
  bliss  of  heaven"  [syn:  {ageless},  {eternal},  {everlasting}, 
  {unending},  {unceasing}] 
  2:  uninterrupted  in  time  and  indefinitely  long  continuing;  "the 
  ceaseless  thunder  of  surf";  "in  constant  pain";  "night  and 
  day  we  live  with  the  incessant  noise  of  the  city";  "the 
  never-ending  search  for  happiness";  "the  perpetual 
  struggle  to  maintain  standards  in  a  democracy";  "man's 
  unceasing  warfare  with  drought  and  isolation"; 
  "unremitting  demands  of  hunger"  [syn:  {ceaseless},  {constant}, 
  {incessant},  {never-ending},  {unceasing},  {unremitting}] 
  3:  occurring  so  frequently  as  to  seem  ceaseless  or 
  uninterrupted;  "a  child's  incessant  questions";  "your 
  perpetual  (or  continual)  complaints"  [syn:  {incessant},  {endless}] 

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