Middle English Dictionary Entry

parfī̆t adj.
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Entry Info

Forms parfī̆t adj. Also parfiȝt, parfight, parfith, parfiet, parfet(te, parfait & perfit, -fiȝt, -fight, -fiht, -fith, -fet, -feth & (late) perfect & (errors) profit, profyȝt; -- often in comp. & sup.
Etymology OF parfit, parfet, parfait, perfet & L perfectus.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) Flawless, unblemished; also fig.; of persons, actions, intentions: faultless, blameless; of gold, metal: perfectly refined; of a soul: pure; of law: incorrupt; of sight, light: unobscured, perfectly clear; parfiter, clearer; lesse (more) ~, less (more) pure; with ~ herte, with pure or sinless heart; (b) of the mind, a bone: sound, healthy; ~ hele (helth), unimpaired health; (c) of happiness, joy, etc.: unstinted; of patience, peace, security: undisturbed; blisse (joi) ~, the perfect joy of heaven.
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2.
(a) Lacking in no respect; complete, full; of an action, a process: thorough; of a condition: integral, whole; of a desire or intent: unreserved; parfitest, most thorough or complete; (b) ~ knouinge (knouleche), ultimate understanding; complete knowledge.
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3.
(a) Completely wrought; perfectly fashioned; (b) of offspring at birth: fully formed; (c) mature; ~ age, age ~, maturity, adulthood; (d) of a legal action or a bequest: duly performed; (e) maken ~, to make (sth.) complete or perfect; bring (offspring) to maturity; duly confirm (a covenant); ben ~, be completed; waxen ~, move to completion.
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4.
(a) Ideal; supreme; of hate, enmity, despising: consummate; (b) parfiter, more (most) ~, more (most) nearly ideal; of greater (greatest) perfection; (c) ~ charite (contricioun, devocioun, hope, loue, etc.), ideal or supreme charity (contrition, devotion, hope, love, etc.).
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5.
(a) Exact, precise; (b) corresponding exactly to a type or standard; ~ cercle.
Show 8 Quotations
6.
(a) Of consummate moral or spiritual excellence; thoroughly righteous; ~ in, invariably faithful to (God, Christ); ~ with, righteous before (God); ~ man (men, woman); maken ~, to make (sb.) righteous, redeem; (b) ~ lif, life governed by religious (especially monastic) vows; more ~ lif, the life of those religious taking vows as contrasted with others whose position required no vows; ~ peple, those observing religious vows; (c) parfiter (parfitest), more (most) ~, more (most) virtuous, of greater (greatest) rectitude; lesse ~, less perfect; (d) as noun: righteous or virtuous people; the parfitest, the most virtuous or excellent deed.
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7.
(a) Perfectly skilled; fully knowledgeable; thoroughly competent or fit; (b) ~ in, perfectly skilled in (an activity, ability, etc.); thoroughly schooled in (learning, a science, craft); perfected in (a virtue, love of God or Christ); ~ of, highly skilled in (necromancy); more (most) ~ in, more highly skilled or perfected in (an activity, a virtue).
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8a.
Math. Of a number: (a) equivalent to the sum of its non-identical divisors; ~ nombre; (b) especially significant or worthy; ~ nombre; ~ in nombre.
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8b.
(a) Gram. Of a verb tense: perfect; (b) mus. of intervals: designating the unison, fifth, octave, and their compounds; ful (lesse) ~ [see quots.].
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9.
As surname.
Show 3 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Suggest that we revise definition of phrase ~ nombre ('parfit number'; under sense 8a.(a)), which now reads "equivalent to the sum of its non-identical divisors" to "equal to the sum of its whole number divisors, excluding itself." This will allow the definition to agree with a parallel definition under superfluous nombre; 'divisors' shoud be specified as 'whole number ...' because there is an infinite number of fractional divisors.

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