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perpetual |
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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