Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To manifest or experience perseveration.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb describing the behavior, generally displayed by those with various developmental disabilities, of extraordinary, exclusive and lasting obsession to a detail or occurrence others consider minor.
- verb to repeat or continue a pattern.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb psychology: repeat a response after the cessation of the original stimulus
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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This propensity to perseverate is sometimes self-destructive, as when I am unable to stop practicing a single piece on the piano or to quit solitaire, but
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"Journalists" seeking to perseverate the entire "controversy" by asking him if he thinks it will continue to be a distraction?
Sanford says it's time to move on, pressed on no wedding ring 2009
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On the medicine, he says he was able to fully shift his attention from one situation to the next rather than perseverate on a previous conversation, and could plan what he was going to do next rather than get distracted by a phone call and forget what he was doing.
Psychiatric Drug Use Spreads Shirley S. Wang 2011
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Uneasiness may perseverate, developing into intractable feelings that seem insurmountable.
Jessica Zucker, Ph.D.: PBS's 'This Emotional Life': Postpartum Depression 2010
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We perseverate instead, and cannot resolve the conflict or make decisions.
The Chemistry of Calm M.D. Henry Emmons 2010
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Hopefully, having written this will discharge my need to perseverate over book covers—at least until the next installment of Jacket Whys sets me off again….
Archive 2009-11-01 Blythe 2009
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Hopefully, having written this will discharge my need to perseverate over book covers—at least until the next installment of Jacket Whys sets me off again….
Book Covers, My Pretties... Blythe 2009
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If an acquaintance ruffles you, you walk away and mutter "jerk" under your breath, then forget about it; if an intimate hurts you, you perseverate on the offense forever.
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And I'm not going to perseverate —or proliferate any programmatic perorations — about the proper spelling of "doughnut."
Drive-by photography — L.A. Ann Althouse 2008
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One might suggest that the babies in the non-social condition were less likely to perseverate because they were less interested in the game and just didn't learn the connection between the ball and Bucket 1 as well.
Archive 2008-10-01 josh 2008
bilby commented on the word perseverate
"We repeat ourselves. The mind perseverates. The road is rutted and grooved, and beside the road are familiar ditches."
- Eric Maisel, 'Deep Writing: 7 Principles That Bring Ideas to Life'.
November 17, 2009
oroboros commented on the word perseverate
I first and only time I ever heard this word used was by my girlfriend speech pathologist; "You're perseverating!" It was a good lesson: I never forgot it, nor do I perseverate (uh huh).
February 21, 2010
fbharjo commented on the word perseverate
My mother's perseverating phrase, 'Don't perseverate on it!!!' that I am just beginning to understand (stand under) again and again. I believe it was required even after the 40 years since she died. But I (am still (emtionally))shouldn't perserverate on it! Go fig-u-rate that???
December 10, 2017
fbharjo commented on the word perseverate
minor is major and/or major is minor!! and all that is twain!?!
December 10, 2017
fbharjo commented on the word perseverate
.......on/and/on/and/yonder....ponder!
December 10, 2017
fbharjo commented on the word perseverate
Let the record skip the skipping!
December 10, 2017