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The father and ruler of a family; one who governs his family or descendants by paternal right; -- usually applied to heads of families in ancient history, especially in Biblical and Jewish history to those who lived before the time of Moses.

body of Roman citizens, before the development of the plebeian order; later, one who, by right of birth or by special privilege conferred, belonged to the nobility.

A right or estate inherited from one's father; or, in a larger sense, from any ancestor. "'Reave the orphan of his patrimony." Shak.

A master who had freed his slave, but still retained some paternal rights over him.

The right of nomination to political office; also, the offices, contracts, honors, etc., which a public officer may bestow by favor.

The right or duty of a patron; patronage. [R.] Westm. Rev.

One of the proprietors of certain tracts of land with manorial privileges and right of entail, under the old Dutch governments of New York and New Jersey.

Exclusive possession or right. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

The wife of a peer; a woman ennobled in her own right, or by right of marriage.

; if; supposing. "If peradventure he speak against me." Shak. Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city. Gen. xviii. 24.

Truly. See Parde. [Obs.] Ah, dame! perdy ye have not done me right. Spenser.

e mandamus. -- Peremptory plea, a plea by a defendant tending to impeach the plaintiff's right of action; a plea in bar.

ure and kind; without flaw, fault, or blemish; without error; mature; whole; pure; sound; right; correct. My strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Cor. xii. 9. Three glorious suns, each one a perfect sun. Shak. I fear I am not in my perfect mind. Shak. O most entire perfect sacrifice! Keble. God made thee perfect, no…

Exactly upright or vertical; pointing to the zenith; at right angles to the plane of the horizon; extending in a right line from any point toward the center of the earth.

representatives (Law), the executors or administrators of a person deceased. -- Personal rights, rights appertaining to the person; as, the rights of a personal security, personal liberty, and private property. -- Personal tithes. See under Tithe. -- Personal verb (Gram.), a verb which is modified or inflected to co…

of the diagonal of a cube. -- Perspective glass, a telescope which shows objects in the right position.

Turned aside; hence, specifically, turned away from the right; willfully erring; wicked; perverted. The only righteous in a word perverse. Milton.

The act of perverting, or the state of being perverted; a turning from truth or right; a diverting from the true intent or object; a change to something worse; a turning or applying to a wrong end or use. "Violations and perversions of the laws." Bacon.

To turn from truth, rectitude, or propriety; to divert from a right use, end, or way; to lead astray; to corrupt; also, to misapply; to misinterpret designedly; as, to pervert one's words. Dryden. He, in the serpent, had perverted Eve. Milton.

ation to government, in either of its branches, for the granting of a particular grace or right; -- in distinction from a memorial, which calls certain facts to mind; also, the written document. Petition of right (Law), a petition to obtain possession or restitution of property, either real or personal, from the Crown,…