Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. v. To read or examine, typically with great care.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. To go through searchingly or carefully; run over with careful scrutiny; examine throughout or in detail; inspect; survey; scan; scrutinize.
  2. To read through carefully or with attention.

Wiktionary

  1. n. An examination or perusal; an instance of perusing.
  2. v. To examine or consider with care.
  3. v. To read completely.
  4. v. To look over casually; to skim.
  5. v. To go from place to place; to wander.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. v. To observe; to examine with care.
  2. v. To read through; to read carefully.

WordNet 3.0

  1. v. examine or consider with attention and in detail

Etymologies

  1. Middle English perusen, to use up : Latin per-, per- + Middle English usen, to use; see use.

Examples

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Lists

These user-created lists contain the word ‘peruse’.

Comments

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  • BrainyBabe He came to a standstill in front of her, and perused her with the expression of an intensely interested haddock. - ''Yashima, or, The Gorgeous West'' by R T Sherwood, 1931. Dec 23, 2008
  • oroboros Examine in detail v. look over casually. May 23, 2008
  • brtom Consider, you who peruse me, whether I may not in unknown ways be looking upon you ... Whitman, "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" Dec 11, 2006

‘peruse’ has been looked up 2250 times, loved by 5 people, added to 58 lists, commented on 4 times, and has a Scrabble score of 8.