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perish
DCHP-2 (Jul 2016)
v. — Newfoundland, rare
to be extremely cold, freezing. Usually in the forms to be perished and perishing.
Type: 2. Preservation — OED-3, s.v. "perish" (1b), defines the verb "perish" as 'to be suffering extremely (from cold or hunger)'. In Newfoundland, the common forms perished and perishing took on the specific meaning of 'cold' and can be considered synonymous with "freezing". These forms are often followed by the prepositional phrase "with cold" or "with the cold". This also applies when using perish to describe someone who has died as a result of exposure to cold temperatures. Thus, phrases like "he was perished with cold", i.e. "he was extremely cold", should not be confused with "he has perished with cold", i.e. "he has died of hypothermia".
Perish is a preservation from British English, where it means 'to become chilled, benumbed, frostbitten' (EDD, s.v. "perish" (1)). The influx of settlers to Newfoundland in the 18th and 19th centuries brought with them many southwestern English terms that managed to remain in the local lexicon for decades to follow (Clarke 2010b: 7). However, the lack of written evidence for this sense of perish in recent decades indicates that the term is losing currency, like other traditional Newfoundland terms.
See COD-2, s.v. "perish", v. (4), which labels the meaning "suffer from cold or exposure: we were perished standing outside" as "Brit".
Perish is a preservation from British English, where it means 'to become chilled, benumbed, frostbitten' (EDD, s.v. "perish" (1)). The influx of settlers to Newfoundland in the 18th and 19th centuries brought with them many southwestern English terms that managed to remain in the local lexicon for decades to follow (Clarke 2010b: 7). However, the lack of written evidence for this sense of perish in recent decades indicates that the term is losing currency, like other traditional Newfoundland terms.
See COD-2, s.v. "perish", v. (4), which labels the meaning "suffer from cold or exposure: we were perished standing outside" as "Brit".
Quotations
1778
I sent the boys in quest of the porcupine which I saw on Thursday, which they not only found and killed, but they dressed and eat it too, without saying a word to me; who lay all the time in my deer-skin bag in the tent, where I continued from the night of last Tuesday, until after it was dark this evening; nearly perishing with cold the whole time.
1912
An unfortunate man named S. Kean who has no home and who was perishing with cold and hunger went to the police station where he was given food and shelter last evening. To-day the necessary papers were made out and he was admitted to the Poor Asylum.
1919
At dawn, perished with cold, he reached the last Mashukulumbwe village, and, being near Monzi's, he determined to risk trouble, and entered the village.
1930
It was deep in the water -- the middle of the boat was only about a foot and a half above the water. Every now and then she would throw sprays over us and wet us. I tell ye it was a hard looking sight -- these firemen were perishing with cold.
1938
The person or persons, who during this Christmas season, give of their means to feed those who faint from hunger, warm those who are perishing with cold, clothe those who are scantily dressed and shelter those who are homeless, may safely rely on this, that their food will be sweeter, their own fireside the cozier, their homes the more cheerful and their joys the more complete as a result of the part they have played in the helping to make others happy.
1975
If a boat goes ashore on a rock, it can be smooth -- it might have the bottom beat out of it and you might be able to swim 10-15 yards in cold water. And by golly you'll be perished by the time you get ashore. But if you know that there's life somewhere, that you can get assistance, you'll try a little harder, wouldn't you?
References
- EDD
- Clarke (2010b)
- COD-2
- OED-3