perch

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

perch¹

(pûrch)

1. A rod or branch serving as a roost for a bird.

a. An elevated place for resting or sitting.

b. A position that is secure, advantageous, or prominent.

3. A pole, stick, or rod.

4. Chiefly British

a. A linear measure equal to 5.50 yards or 16.5 feet (5.03 meters); a rod.

b. One square rod of land.

5. A unit of cubic measure used in stonework, usually 16.5 feet by 1.0 foot by 1.5 feet, or 24.75 cubic feet (0.70 cubic meter).

6. A frame on which cloth is laid for examination of quality.

v. perched, perch·ing, perch·es

v.intr.

1. To alight or rest on a perch; roost: A raven perched high in the pine.

2. To stand, sit, or rest on an elevated place or position.

v.tr.

1. To place on or as if on a perch: The child perched the glass on the edge of the counter.

2. To lay (cloth) on a perch in order to examine it.

[Middle English perche, from Old French, from Latin pertica, stick, pole.]

perch²

(pûrch)

n. pl. perch or perch·es

1. Any of several spiny-finned freshwater fishes of the genus Perca, especially either of two edible species, the yellow perch of North America, and P. fluviatilis of Europe.

2. Any of various similar fishes of the family Percidae, such as the walleye, or of other families, such as the white perch or the ocean perch.

[Middle English perche, from Old French, from Latin perca, from Greek perkē.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

perch

(pɜːtʃ)

1. a pole, branch, or other resting place above ground on which a bird roosts or alights

2. a similar resting place for a person or thing

3. (Units) another name for rod⁷

4. (Units) a solid measure for stone, usually taken as 198 inches by 18 inches by 12 inches

5. (Automotive Engineering) a pole joining the front and rear axles of a carriage

6. (Textiles) a frame on which cloth is placed for inspection

7. (Units) obsolete or dialect a pole

8. (usually foll by on) to alight, rest, or cause to rest on or as if on a perch: the bird perched on the branch; the cap was perched on his head.

9. (Textiles) (tr) to inspect (cloth) on a perch

[C13 perche stake, from Old French, from Latin pertica long staff]

ˈpercher n

perch

(pɜːtʃ)

n, pl perch or perches

1. (Animals) any freshwater spiny-finned teleost fish of the family Percidae, esp those of the genus Perca, such as P. fluviatilis of Europe and P. flavescens (yellow perch) of North America: valued as food and game fishes

2. (Animals) any of various similar or related fishes

[C13: from Old French perche, from Latin perca, from Greek perkē; compare Greek perkos spotted]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

perch¹

(pɜrtʃ)

n.

1. a pole or rod, serving as a roost for birds.

2. any place or object for a bird, animal, or person to alight or rest upon.

3. a high or elevated position, resting place, or the like.

4. a small, elevated seat for the driver of any of certain vehicles.

5. Brit.

a. a linear or square rod.

b. a measure of volume for stone, about 24 cubic feet (0.7 cubic meters).

6. Obs. any pole, rod, or the like.

v.i.

7. to alight or rest upon a perch.

8. to settle or rest in some elevated position.

v.t.

9. to set or place on or as if on a perch.

[1250–1300; Middle English perche < Old French < Latin pertica rod, measuring rod]

perch²

(pɜrtʃ)

n., pl. (esp. collectively) perch, (esp. for kinds or species) perch•es.

1. any small freshwater fish of the family Percidae, having a spiny anterior dorsal fin, as the European perch, Perca fluviatilis, and the North American yellow perch, P. flavescens.

2. any of various related or similar spiny-finned fishes.

[1350–1400; Middle English perche < Middle French < Latin perca < Greek pérkē]

perch

Past participle: perched
Gerund: perching

Imperative
perch
perch

Present
I perch
you perch
he/she/it perches
we perch
you perch
they perch

Preterite
I perched
you perched
he/she/it perched
we perched
you perched
they perched

Present Continuous
I am perching
you are perching
he/she/it is perching
we are perching
you are perching
they are perching

Present Perfect
I have perched
you have perched
he/she/it has perched
we have perched
you have perched
they have perched

Past Continuous
I was perching
you were perching
he/she/it was perching
we were perching
you were perching
they were perching

Past Perfect
I had perched
you had perched
he/she/it had perched
we had perched
you had perched
they had perched

Future
I will perch
you will perch
he/she/it will perch
we will perch
you will perch
they will perch

Future Perfect
I will have perched
you will have perched
he/she/it will have perched
we will have perched
you will have perched
they will have perched

Future Continuous
I will be perching
you will be perching
he/she/it will be perching
we will be perching
you will be perching
they will be perching

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been perching
you have been perching
he/she/it has been perching
we have been perching
you have been perching
they have been perching

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been perching
you will have been perching
he/she/it will have been perching
we will have been perching
you will have been perching
they will have been perching

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been perching
you had been perching
he/she/it had been perching
we had been perching
you had been perching
they had been perching

Conditional
I would perch
you would perch
he/she/it would perch
we would perch
you would perch
they would perch

Past Conditional
I would have perched
you would have perched
he/she/it would have perched
we would have perched
you would have perched
they would have perched

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Perch

A unit of measure. For linear measurement, 1 perch=1 rod (5.5 yards). When applied to masonry, 1 perch=24.75 cubic feet.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	perch - support consisting of a branch or rod that serves as a resting place (especially for a bird) roost - a perch on which domestic fowl rest or sleep roost - a shelter with perches for fowl or other birds support - any device that bears the weight of another thing; "there was no place to attach supports for a shelf"
	2.	perch - a linear measure of 16.5 feet rod, pole Britain, Great Britain, U.K., UK, United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; `Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom linear measure, linear unit - a unit of measurement of length yard, pace - a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride furlong - a unit of length equal to 220 yards
	3.	perch - a square rod of land rod, pole area unit, square measure - a system of units used to measure areas
	4.	perch - an elevated place serving as a seat seat, place - a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane); "he booked their seats in advance"; "he sat in someone else's place"
	5.	perch - any of numerous fishes of America and Europe Perca flavescens, yellow perch - North American perch European perch, Perca fluviatilis - a perch native to Europe freshwater fish - flesh of fish from fresh water used as food
	6.	perch - spiny-finned freshwater food and game fishes percoid, percoid fish, percoidean - any of numerous spiny-finned fishes of the order Perciformes family Percidae, Percidae - active freshwater fishes; true perches and pike perches Perca flavescens, yellow perch - North American perch European perch, Perca fluviatilis - a perch native to Europe pike perch, pike-perch - any of several pike-like fishes of the perch family Percina tanasi, snail darter - a small snail-eating perch of the Tennessee River
	7.	perch - any of numerous spiny-finned fishes of various families of the order Perciformes order Perciformes, order Percomorphi, Perciformes, Percomorphi - one of the largest natural groups of fishes of both marine and fresh water: true perches; basses; tuna percoid, percoid fish, percoidean - any of numerous spiny-finned fishes of the order Perciformes
Verb	1.	perch - sit, as on a branch; "The birds perched high in the tree" roost, rest sit, sit down - be seated
	2.	perch - to come to rest, settle; "Misfortune lighted upon him" alight, light land, set down - reach or come to rest; "The bird landed on the highest branch"; "The plane landed in Istanbul"
	3.	perch - cause to perch or sit; "She perched her hat on her head" lay, place, put, set, position, pose - put into a certain place or abstract location; "Put your things here"; "Set the tray down"; "Set the dogs on the scent of the missing children"; "Place emphasis on a certain point"

perch

verb

1. sit, rest, balance, settle He perched on the corner of the desk.

2. place, put, rest, balance His glasses were perched precariously on his head.

3. land, alight, roost A blackbird perched on the parapet outside the window.

noun

1. resting place, post, branch, pole, roost The canary fell off its perch.

perch

² noun

Related words
adjective percoid

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

perch

verb

To place or be placed on a narrow or insecure surface:

balance, poise.

Translations

مَرْبَض، غُصْنمَقْعَد، مَكان جُلوسيَجْثُم، يَرْبِضُ الطَّيْر، يَرْقُديُقْعِد، يُجْلِس، يَضَع في مكانٍ عال

bidýlkohřadhředovattrůnitvysadit

grenhøj placering

Barsch setzen sich niederlassen sicherer Sitzplatz Sitzstange

κούρνια πέρκα

perca percha posarse sentarse encaramar

ahvenahvenkala

perche perchoir percher

leszállmagas helyre teszpozíció

setjast, tylla sérstallur, sjónarhólltrjágrein, silla, priktylla

appollaiarsi posatoio ramo stare appollaiato persico

aukšta vietalaktanutūptisėdėtitūpti

augsta atrašanās vietalaktatupētuzsēdinātuztupties

baars

abbor høyt sted sette høyt oppe sette seg på en pinne sitte høyt oppe

окунь

výšiny

abborre

tünektünemekyüksek bir yere konmak/oturmakyüksek yer

把...置于高处栖息高处鸟的栖木

perch

¹ [pɜːtʃ]

A. N [of bird] → percha f (fig) [of person] → posición f elevada
to knock sb off his perch → bajar los humos or el copete a algn

B. VT → encaramar
we perched the child on the wall → encaramamos al niño en la tapia
the village is perched on a hilltop → el pueblo está encaramado en lo alto de una colina
he perched his hat on his head → se colocó el sombrero en la cabeza

C. VI [bird] → posarse (on en) [person] (= sit) → sentarse (on en) (high up) → encaramarse (on en) she perched on the arm of my chair → se sentó en el brazo de mi sillón
we perched in a tree to see the procession → nos encaramamos or subimos a un árbol para ver el desfile

perch

² [pɜːtʃ] N (perch, perches (pl)) (= fish) → perca f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

perch

[ˈpɜː^rtʃ]

(= fish) → perche f

(for bird) → perchoir m

[bird] → se percher, percher

to perch on sth [person] → se percher sur qch

perch

n (= fish) → Flussbarsch m

perch

(of bird) → Stange f; (in tree) → Ast m; (= hen-roost) → Hühnerstange f; (fig: for person etc) → Hochsitz m; to fall or drop or topple off the or one’s perch (Brit fig inf) → den Löffel abgeben (inf); to knock somebody off his perch (Brit fig) → jdn von seinem hohen Ross herunterholen

(Measure) Längenmaß (5.029 m)

vt to perch something on something → etw auf etw (acc) → setzen or (upright) → stellen

vi (bird, fig: person) → hocken; (= alight) → sich niederlassen; the tower perches on the edge of the cliff → der Turm thront über dem Rand der Klippe

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

perch

¹ [pɜːtʃ] n (fish) → pesce m persico

perch

² [pɜːtʃ]

1. n (of bird) → pertica, posatoio; (in tree) → ramo (fig) (for person) → posto di vedetta

2. vt → poggiare

3. vi (bird, person) → appollaiarsi

perch

(pəːtʃ) noun

1. a branch etc on which a bird sits or stands. The pigeon would not fly down from its perch.

2. any high seat or position. He looked down from his perch on the roof.

verb

1. (of birds) to go to (a perch); to sit or stand on (a perch). The bird flew up and perched on the highest branch of the tree.

2. to put, or be, in a high seat or position. He perched the child on his shoulder; They perched on the fence.

References in classic literature ?

Paddling gently to one of these places, I was surprised to find myself surrounded by myriads of small perch, about five inches long, of a rich bronze color in the green water, sporting there, and constantly rising to the surface and dimpling it, sometimes leaving bubbles on it.

View in context

He will perch upon one of your eye-lashes, and go to roost there if you do not disturb him, or force his way through your hair, or along the cavity of the nostril, till you almost fancy he is resolved to explore the very brain itself.

View in context

At another time--moving spectral over the black surface of the water--they would try the lake for a change, and catch a perch as they had caught the mouse.

View in context

She flew down from her perch and walked into the next room, the Queen following.

View in context

(1) A stang is a pole or perch; sixteen feet and a half.

View in context

The Birds that passed his perch said: "Come with us"; but he said: "I am a Beast." Later on, some Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said: "Come with us"; but he said: "I am a Bird." Luckily at the last moment peace was made, and no battle took place, so the Bat came to the Birds and wished to join in the rejoicings, but they all turned against him and he had to fly away.

View in context

Ahab had now gained his final perch, some feet above the other look-outs, Tashtego standing just beneath him on the cap of the top-gallant mast, so that the Indian's head was almost on a level with Ahab's heel.

View in context

Your most usual point of perch is the head of the t' gallant-mast, where you stand upon two thin parallel sticks (almost peculiar to whalemen) called the t' gallant cross-trees.

View in context

``Amongst the ruins of the church The midnight raven found a perch, A melancholy place; The ruthless Conqueror cast down, Woe worth the deed, that little town, To lengthen out his chase.''

View in context

By these means little Tommy, for so the bird was called, was become so tame, that it would feed out of the hand of its mistress, would perch upon the finger, and lie contented in her bosom, where it seemed almost sensible of its own happiness; though she always kept a small string about its leg, nor would ever trust it with the liberty of flying away.

View in context

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore; Not the least obeisance made he; not an instant stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -- Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -- Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

View in context

Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he, But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door-- Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door-- Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

perch

perch 1

perch 2

perch

perch

perch1

perch2

perch

Perch

perch

perch

perch

perch

perch

perch

perch

perch

perch

perch

perch

perch¹

perch²

perch¹

perch²