Perform

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: per=form

CIDE DICTIONARY

Perform, v. t. [OE. performen, parfourmen, parfournen, OF. parfornir, parfournir, to finish, complete; OF. & F. par (see Par) + fournir to finish, complete. The word has been influenced by form; cf. L. performare to form thoroughly. See Furnish.].

•  To carry through; to bring to completion; to achieve; to accomplish; to execute; to do.  [1913 Webster]

  "I will cry unto God most high, unto God that performeth all things for me."  [1913 Webster]

  "Great force to perform what they did attempt."  [1913 Webster]
•  To discharge; to fulfill; to act up to; as, to perform a duty; to perform a promise or a vow.  [1913 Webster]

  "To perform your father's will."  [1913 Webster]
•  To represent; to act; to play; as in drama.  [1913 Webster]

  "Perform a part thou hast not done before."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To accomplish; do; act; transact; achieve; execute; discharge; fulfill; effect; complete; consummate. See Accomplish.

Perform, v. i. 

 To do, execute, or accomplish something; to acquit one's self in any business; esp., to represent sometimes by action; to act a part; to play on a musical instrument; as, the players perform poorly; the musician performs on the organ.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Perform, v.
1 tr. (also absol.) carry into effect; be the agent of; do (a command, promise, task, etc.).
2 tr. (also absol.) go through, execute (a public function, play, piece of music, etc.).
3 intr. act in a play; play music, sing, etc. (likes performing).
4 intr. (of a trained animal) execute tricks etc. at a public show.

Derivative

performable adj. performability n. performatory adj. & n. (pl. -ies). performer n. performing adj.

Etymology

ME f. AF parfourmer f. OF parfournir (assim. to forme FORM) f. par PER- + fournir FURNISH

THESAURUS

Perform

accompany, accomplish, achieve, act, act a part, act as, act as foil, act out, affect, ape, appear, attain, barnstorm, be effective, be in action, be productive, behave, betoken, brandish, breathe, bring about, bring forth, bring forward, bring into being, bring into view, bring off, bring out, bring to fruition, bring to notice, carry into execution, carry on, carry out, carry through, carry to completion, cause, chord, come out, compass, complete, concertize, conduct, consummate, cope with, copy, dangle, deal with, demonstrate, depict, develop, discharge, disclose, discourse, dispatch, display, dispose of, divulge, do, do duty, do the job, do the trick, do up brown, dramatize, effect, effectuate, embody, emote, emotionalize, enact, end, engineer, evidence, evince, execute, exhibit, expose to view, express, fetch, finish, flaunt, flourish, fulfill, function, get top billing, give sign, give token, go, handle, have effect, have free play, have play, highlight, illuminate, impersonate, implement, incarnate, indicate, industrialize, interpret, knock off, make, make clear, make music, make plain, manage, manifest, masquerade as, mass-produce, materialize, mean, militate, mime, mimic, mount, officiate, operate, overproduce, pantomime, parade, pass for, patter, percolate, perform as, perk, personate, play, play a part, play by ear, play the lead, playact, polish off, pose as, practice, present, pretend to be, produce, pull off, put away, put on, react, realize, register, render, represent, respond, reveal, roll out, run, serve, set forth, show, show forth, sketch, spotlight, stage, star, steal the show, stooge, succeed, symphonize, take, take care of, take effect, take off, tick, token, transact, tread the boards, trot out, troupe, turn the trick, unfold, upstage, volume-produce, wave, wind up, work, work out

ROGET THESAURUS

Perform

The Drama

VB act, play, perform, put on the stage, personate, mimic, enact, play a part, act a part, go through a part, perform a part, rehearse, spout, gag, rant, strut and fret one's hour upon a stage, tread the boards, tread the stage, come out, star it.

Action

VB do, perform, execute, achieve, transact, enact, commit, perpetrate, inflict, exercise, prosecute, carry on, work, practice, play, employ oneself, ply one's task, officiate, have in hand, labor, be at work, pursue a course, shape one's course, act, operate, take action, take steps, strike a blow, lift a finger, stretch forth one's hand, take in hand, put oneself in motion, put in practice, carry into execution, act upon, be an actor, take a part in, act a part in, play a part in, perform a part in, participate in, have a hand in, have a finger in the pie, have to do with, be a party to, be a participator in, bear a hand, lend a hand, pull an oar, run in a race, mix oneself up with, be in action, come into operation.

Completion

VB effect, effectuate, accomplish, achieve, compass, consummate, hammer out, bring to maturity, bring to perfection, perfect, complete, elaborate, do, execute, make, go through, get through, work out, enact, bring about, bring to bear, bring to pass, bring through, bring to a head, despatch, dispatch, knock off, finish off, polish off, make short work of, dispose of, set at rest, perform, discharge, fulfill, realize, put in practice, put in force, carry out, carry into effect, carry into execution, make good, be as good as one's word, do thoroughly, not do by halves, go the whole hog, drive home, be in at the death, carry through, play out, exhaust, fill the bill, finish, bring to a close, wind up, stamp, clinch, seal, set the seal on, put the seal, give the final touch, to, put the last, put the finishing hand to, put the finishing touches on, crown, crown all, cap, ripen, culminate, come to a head, come to a crisis, come to its end, die a natural death, die of old age, run its course, run one's race, touch the goal, reach the goal, attain the goal, reach, get in the harvest.

Observance

VB observe, comply with, respect, acknowledge, abide by, cling to, adhere to, be faithful to, act up to, meet, fulfill, carry out, carry into execution, execute, perform, keep, satisfy, discharge, do one's office, perform an obligation, fulfill an obligation, discharge an obligation, acquit oneself of an obligation, make good, make good one's word, make good one's promise, keep one's word, keep one's promise, redeem one's pledge, keep faith with, stand to one's engagement.

Production

VB produce, perform, operate, do, make, gar, form, construct, fabricate, frame, contrive, manufacture, weave, forge, coin, carve, chisel, build, raise, edify, rear, erect, put together, set up, run up, establish, constitute, compose, organize, institute, achieve, accomplish, flower, bear fruit, fructify, teem, ean, yean, farrow, drop, pup, kitten, kindle, bear, lay, whelp, bring forth, give birth to, lie in, be brought to bed of, evolve, pullulate, usher into the world, make productive, create, beget, get, generate, fecundate, impregnate, procreate, progenerate, propagate, engender, bring into being, call into being, bring into existence, breed, hatch, develop, bring up, induce, superinduce, suscitate, cause, acquire.

Agency

VB be in action, operate, work, act, act upon, perform, play, support, sustain, strain, maintain, take effect, quicken, strike, come play, come bring into operation, have play, have free play, bring to bear upon.

Music

VB compose, perform, attune.

Musician

VB play, pipe, strike up, sweep the chords, tweedle, fiddle, strike the lyre, beat the drum, blow the horn, sound the horn, wind the horn, doodle, grind the organ, touch the guitar, thrum, strum, beat time, execute, perform, accompany, sing a second, play a second, compose, set to music, arrange, sing, chaunt, chant, hum, warble, carol, chirp, chirrup, lilt, purl, quaver, trill, shake, twitter, whistle, sol-fa, intone, have an ear for music, have a musical ear, have a correct ear.