peruse

pe·ruse

transitive verb \pə-ˈrüz\

pe·rusedpe·rus·ing

Definition of PERUSE

1

a : to examine or consider with attention and in detail : study

b : to look over or through in a casual or cursory manner

2

: read; especially : to read over in an attentive or leisurely manner

— pe·rus·al \-ˈrü-zəl\ noun

— pe·rus·er noun

Examples of PERUSE

1. He perused the newspaper over breakfast.
2. <perused the manuscript, checking for grammatical errors>
3. To refresh my memory of the old days, I asked for some Dailies of the thirties from the morgue, sat down at the large round oak table at the end of the editorial room on the second floor, and began riffling through the musty pages. Soon a burly middle-aged man appeared and seated himself at the table to peruse some recent issues of the paper and take notes. —Arthur Miller, Timebends, 1987
4. I've even found myself idly perusing the Yellow Pages, not frantic for a plumber, just browsing. —Lesley Conger, Writer, October 1968
5. Bessie asked if I would have a book … , and I begged her to fetch Gulliver's Travels from the library. This book I had again and again perused with delight. —Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, 1847

Origin of PERUSE

Middle English, to use up, deal with in sequence, from Latin per- thoroughly + Middle English usen to use

First Known Use: 1532

Related to PERUSE

Synonyms

read, pore (over)

Related Words

browse, dip (into), leaf (through), scan, skim, speed-read, thumb (through), turn over; devour, gobble (up); slog (through), wade (through); reread; proofread; decipher; review, study; apprehend, comprehend, get, grasp, make, make out, perceive, see, tumble (to), understand