per·sist·ent ( p…r-s¹s"t…nt, -z ¹s"-) adj. 1. Refusing to give up or let go; persevering obstinately. 2. Insistently repetitive or continuous: a persistent ringing of the telephone. 3. Existing or remaining in the same state for an indefinitely long time; enduring: persistent rumors; a persistent infection. 4. Botany Lasting past maturity without falling off, as the calyx on an eggplant or the scales of a pine cone. 5. Zoology Retained permanently, rather than disappearing in an early stage of development: the persistent gills of fishes. per·sist "ent·ly adv.

de·lib·er·ate ( d¹-l¹b"…r-¹t) adj. 1. Done with or marked by full consciousness of the nature and effects; intentional: mistook the oversight for a deliberate insult. 2. Arising from or marked by careful consideration: a deliberate decision. See note at voluntary . 3. Unhurried in action, movement, or manner, as if trying to avoid error: moved at a deliberate pace. See note at slow . v. de·lib·er·at·ed de·lib·er·at·ing de·lib·er·ates ( -…-r³t") v. intr. 1. To think carefully and often slowly, as about a choice to be made. 2. To consult with another or others in a process of reaching a decision. v. tr. 1. To consider (a matter) carefully and often slowly, as by weighing alternatives. See note at ponder . [Latin d¶lºber³tus,past participle of d¶lºber³reto consider, weigh d¶- de- lºbr³re to balance( from lºbra a balance, scales) ] de·lib "er·ate·ly adv. de·lib "er·ate·ness n.

de·cep·tion ( d¹-sµp"sh…n) n. 1. The use of deceit. 2. The fact or state of being deceived. 3. A ruse; a trick. [Middle English decepcioun from Old French deception from Late Latin d¶cepti½ d¶cepti½n-from Latin d¶ceptus,past participle of d¶cipereto deceive; See deceive ]

ef·fuse ( ¹-fy›s") adj. Botany 1. Spreading out loosely. v. ef·fused ef·fus·ing ef·fus·es ( ¹-fy›z") v. tr. 1. To pour out (a liquid). 2. To radiate; diffuse. v. intr. 1. To spread or flow out. 2. To ooze forth; exude. [Latin eff¿sus,past participle of effundere to pour out ex- ex- fundere to pour; See gheu- in Indo-European Roots.]

gheu- . Important derivatives are: gut funnel fusion confuse refund 1 refuse 1 To pour, pour a libation. I. Extended form *gheud- . 1. Zero-grade form *ghud- . GUT , from Old English guttas , intestines, from Germanic *gut- . 2. Nasalized zero-grade form *ghu-n-d- . FOISON , FONDANT , ( FONDUE ), ( FONT 2 ), FOUND 2 , ( FUNNEL ), FUSE 2 , FUSILE , FUSION ; AFFUSION , CIRCUMFUSE , CONFOUND , ( CONFUSE ), DIFFUSE , EFFUSE , INFUSE , PERFUSE , PROFUSE , REFUND , ( REFUSE 1 ), ( REFUSE 2 ), SUFFUSE , TRANSFUSE , from Latin fundere , to melt, pour out. II. Extended form *gheus- . 1. a. GUST 1 , from Old Norse gustr , a cold blast of wind, from Germanic suffixed form *gustiz ; b. GUSH , from Middle English gushen , to gush, perhaps akin to Icelandic gusa , to gush. Both a and b from Germanic zero-grade form *gus- . 2. GEYSER , from Old Norse geysa , to gush, from Germanic suffixed o-grade form *gausjan . 3. a. Suffixed zero-grade form *ghus-mo- . ( CHYME ); ECCHYMOSIS , from Greek khumos , juice; b. suffixed zero-grade form *ghus-lo- . CHYLE , from Greek khulos , juice. III. Suffixed form *gheu-ti- . FUTILE , from Latin f ¿tilis, " (of a vessel) easily emptied, leaky, " hence untrustworthy, useless. IV. Basic form *gheu- . CHOANOCYTE , PARENCHYMA , from Greek khein , to pour, with o-grade noun khoan ¶, funnel. [ Pokorny ª heu- 447. ]

en·dure ( µn-d‹r", -dy ‹r") v. en·dured en·dur·ing en·dures v. tr. 1. To carry on through, despite hardships; undergo: endure an Arctic winter. 2. To bear with tolerance: " We seek the truth, and will endure the consequences " Charles Seymour See note at bear 1 . v. intr. 1. To continue in existence; last: buildings that have endured for centuries. 2. To suffer patiently without yielding. [Middle English enduren from Old French endurer from Latin ind¿r³re to make hard in- against, into; See en- 1 d ¿rus hard; See deru- in Indo-European Roots.]

deru- . Important derivatives are: tree truce true truth trust tray trough trim tar 1 endure druid Also dreu- To be firm, solid, steadfast; hence specialized senses " wood," " tree," and derivatives referring to objects made of wood. I. 1. Suffixed variant form *drew-o- . a. TREE , from Old English tr ¶ow, tree, from Germanic *trewam ; b. TRUCE , from Old English tr ¶ow, pledge, from Germanic *treuw ½. 2. Variant form dreu- . a. TRUE , from Old English tr ¶owe, firm, true; b. TROW , from Old English tr ¶owian, tr ¿wian, to trust; c. TRIG 1 , from Old Norse tryggr , firm, true; d. TROTH , TRUTH ; BETROTH , from Old English tr ¶owth faith, loyalty, truth, from Germanic abstract noun *treuwith ½; e. TRUST , from Old Norse traust , confidence, firmness, from Germanic abstract noun *traustam ; f. TRYST , from Old French triste , waiting place ( < " place where one waits trustingly "), probably from a source akin to Old Norse denominative treysta , to trust, make firm. a, b, c, d, e, and f all from Germanic *treuwaz . 3. Variant form *drou- . TRAY , from Old English tr ¶g, tr ºg, wooden board, from Germanic *traujam . 4. Suffixed zero-grade form *dru-ko- . TROUGH , from Old English trog , wooden vessel, tray, from Germanic *trugaz . 5. Suffixed zero-grade form *dru-mo- . a. TRIM , from Old English trum , firm, strong; b. SHELTER , from Old English truma , troop. Both a and b from Germanic *trum- . 6. Variant form *derw- . TAR 1 , from Old English te(o)ru , resin, pitch (obtained from the pine tree), from Germanic *terw- . 7. Suffixed variant form *dr ¿-ro-. DOUR , DURAMEN , DURESS , DURUM ; ( DURA MATER ), ENDURE , INDURATE , OBDURATE , from Latin d ¿rus, hard (many of whose English derivatives represent a semantic cross with Latin d ¿r³re, to last long; see deu …-). 8. Lengthened zero-grade form *dr ¿-. DRUPE , DRYAD ; DRYOPITHECINE , GERMANDER , HAMADRYAD , from Greek drus , oak. 9. Reduplicated form *der-drew- , dissimilated with suffix in *der-drew-on . DENDRO- , DENDRON ; PHILODENDRON , RHODODENDRON , from Greek dendron , tree. 10. DRUID , from Latin druides , druids, probably from Celtic compound *dru-wid- , " strong seer " ( *wid- , seeing; see weid- ), the Celtic priestly caste. 11. O-grade form *doru- . DEODAR , from Sanskrit d ³ru, wood, timber. [ Pokorny deru- 214. ]

en·sure ( µn-sh‹r") v. tr. en·sured en·sur·ing en·sures 1. To make sure or certain; insure: Our precautions ensured our safety. See note at assure . [Middle English ensuren from Anglo-Norman enseurer Old French en- causative pref.; See en- 1 Old French seur secure, variant of sur; See sure ]

ex·cuse ( ¹k-sky›z") v. tr. ex·cused ex·cus·ing ex·cus·es 1. a. To explain (a fault or an offense) in the hope of being forgiven or understood: He arrived late and excused his tardiness in a flimsy manner. b. To seek to remove the blame from: She excused herself for being late. 2. a. To grant pardon to; forgive: We quickly excused the latecomer. b. To make allowance for; overlook: Readers must excuse the author's youth and inexperience. See note at forgive . 3. To serve as justification for: Brilliance does not excuse bad manners. 4. To free, as from an obligation or duty; exempt: In my state, physicians and lawyers are excused from jury duty. 5. To give permission to leave; release: The child ate quickly and asked to be excused. n. ( ¹k-sky›s") 1. An explanation offered to justify or obtain forgiveness. 2. A reason or grounds for excusing: Ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law. 3. The act of excusing. 4. A note explaining an absence. 5. Informal An inferior example: a poor excuse for a poet; a sorry excuse for a car. [Middle English excusen from Old French excuser from Latin exc¿s³reex- ex- causa accusation; See cause ] ex·cus "a·ble adj. ex·cus "a·ble·ness n. ex·cus "a·bly adv. ex·cus "er n.

ex·hume ( ¹g-z›m", -zy ›m", ¹ k-sy›m", µ ks-hy›m") v. tr. ex·humed ex·hum·ing ex·humes 1. To remove from a grave; disinter. 2. To bring to light, especially after a period of obscurity. [French exhumer from Medieval Latin exhum³re Latin ex- ex-Latin humus ground; See dhghem- in Indo-European Roots.] ex "hu·ma"tion ( µg"zy›-m³"sh…n, µ ks"hy›-) n. ex·hum "er n.

dhghem- . Important derivatives are: bridegroom chamomile humble homage homicide human. Earth. I. 1. Suffixed zero-grade form *(dh)gh ©-on-, " earthling." BRIDEGROOM , from Old English guma , man, from Germanic *gum ½n-. 2. O-grade form *dh(e)ghom- . CHTHONIC ; AUTOCHTHON , from Greek khth ½n, earth. 3. Zero-grade form *dhgh ©-. CHAMAEPHYTE , CHAMELEON , CHAMOMILE , GERMANDER , from Greek khamai , on the ground. 4. Suffixed o-grade form *(dh)ghom-o- . HUMBLE , ( HUMILIATE ), ( HUMILITY ), HUMUS 1 ; EXHUME , INHUME , TRANSHUMANCE , from Latin humus , earth. 5. Suffixed o-grade form *(dh)ghom-on- , " earthling." a. HOMAGE , HOMBRE 1 , HOMINID , HOMO 1 , HOMUNCULUS , OMBRE ; BONHOMIE , HOMICIDE , from Latin hom ½, human being, man; b. HUMAN , ( HUMANE ), from Latin h ¿m³nus, human, kind, humane (in part from dhghem- ). 6. Suffixed form *(dh)ghem-y ³. CHERNOZEM , SIEROZEM , ZEMSTVO , from Old Russian zem ¹, land, earth. 7. Full-grade form *(dh)ghem- . ZAMINDAR , from Persian zam ºn, earth, land. [ Pokorny ª hšem- 414. ]