by Damon Suede
PERFUME (→): anoint, bathe, brush, cloud, cologne, conceal, dab, disguise, douse, drench, embellish, emit, enhance, exude, hide, intensify, mist, oil, release, scent, smear, splash, spray (≠ breathe, detect, discern, discover, find, identify, inhale, nose, notice, perceive, recognize, retrace, sense, smell, sniff, trace, track, whiff)
PERMEATE (→): brine, charge, diffuse, drench, fill, flood, glut, imbue, impregnate, infect, infiltrate, infuse, ingrain, instill, interpenetrate, inundate, invade, marinate, penetrate, percolate, pervade, pierce, presoak, riddle, saturate, soak, spread, stalk, steep, suffuse, surfeit, transfuse (≠ clear, deprive, divide, drain, eliminate, empty, extract, filter, isolate, leach, leech, purge, quarantine, remove, segregate, separate, sift, siphon, tap, withdraw)
PERMIT (+): accept, admit, allow, approve, authorize, bear, bless, commission, concede, condone, countersign, deputize, designate, empower, enable, endorse, endure, enfranchise, entitle, excuse, facilitate, give, grant, greenlight, indulge, legalize, let, license, lubricate, notarize, ordain, pardon, qualify, rubber-stamp, sanction, spare, stand, stomach, suffer, take, task, tolerate, unlock, validate, warrant, weather, withstand (≠ -avoid, ban, bar, battle, block, check, coerce, condemn, counteract, criminalize, curb, denounce, -deny, -deter, -escape, fight, -flee, flout, force, -halt, hinder, -ignore, impede, muscle, -nix, obstruct, oppose, outlaw, protest, railroad, -refuse, -reject, repel, resist, restrain, stall, stem, straightjacket, suppress, withhold)
PERPLEX (/): abash, addle, agitate, amaze, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, beguile, bemuse, bewilder, blindside, block, boggle, bother, buffalo, chagrin, cloud, confound, confuse, cozen, daze, deceive, delude, discombobulate, discomfit, discomfort, discompose, disconcert, dismay, disorient, disquiet, distress, disturb, double-talk, dumbfound, dupe, embarrass, faze, floor, flummox, fluster, foil, fool, fox, frustrate, gaslight, gull, harass, hoax, hobble, hocus-pocus, hoodwink, humbug, jumble, manipulate, misguide, mislead, mismatch, monkey-wrench, mortify, muddle, muddy, mystify, nonplus, obscure, outwit, perturb, puzzle, rattle, snow, stump, stun, stupefy, surprise, tangle, throw, trick, trouble, unhinge, unsettle, upset, vex (≠ abbreviate, assure, clarify, decipher, deduce, detect, disentangle, ease, edify, educate, enlighten, explain, facilitate, floodlight, illuminate, inform, instruct, oversimplify, reassure, satisfy, school, shorten, simplify, solve, straighten, streamline, teach, train, tutor, uncomplicate, unravel, untangle)
PERSECUTE (/): affront, aggravate, agitate, anger, annoy, antagonize, assail, badger, bait, belittle, berate, besmirch, blackguard, blacklist, blame, blast, blemish, bother, bug, bullyrag, burn, censure, chafe, chastise, decry, defame, demean, demonize, deprecate, deride, devil, diminish, discomfort, discompose, disgrace, dishonor, disparage, disquiet, distress, dog, earbash, eat, enrage, exasperate, exercise, freak, fret, frost, gall, get, hagride, harangue, harass, harry, hassle, haunt, heckle, hector, hound, humble, hunt, impugn, incense, inflame, infuriate, insult, irk, irritate, knock, madden, malign, miff, molest, nag, needle, nettle, nitpick, offend, outrage, peeve, perturb, pester, pillory, pique, plague, provoke, pursue, rankle, rasp, rebuke, revile, ridicule, rile, roil, rouse, ruffle, shame, slander, -slight, slur, -snub, soil, spite, taunt, tease, troll, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, vex, vilify, worry, zing (≠ admire, appease, applaud, assure, back, blandish, cheer, comfort, commend, conciliate, console, content, court, defend, delight, expiate, flatter, gladden, gratify, honor, indulge, infantilize, mollify, oblige, pacify, pamper, placate, please, promote, propitiate, quiet, reassure, revere, reward, romance, salute, satisfy, solace, soothe, spoil, thrill, woo)
PERSECUTE (/): abuse, afflict, aggravate, aggrieve, agitate, agonize, ambush, anathematize, anguish, annoy, assail, attack, badger, beat, bedevil, beset, besiege, bestialize, blackball, blackjack, blackmail, bombard, bother, -boycott, browbeat, brutalize, bug, bully, chafe, constrain, crucify, crush, curse, damage, debase, degrade, dehumanize, demote, deprave, discipline, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, disturb, dog, dragoon, exasperate, excruciate, exile, expel, exploit, fluster, gall, gaslight, get, grieve, hagride, harass, harm, harrow, harry, hassle, heckle, hound, humiliate, hurt, ill-treat, impair, injure, intimidate, irk, irritate, lynch, malnourish, maltreat, manhandle, mar, martyr, menace, mistreat, misuse, molest, mortify, nag, needle, -neglect, nettle, nitpick, oppress, outrage, overpower, overwhelm, pain, peeve, perturb, pester, picket, pique, plague, prick, -prohibit, protest, pursue, restrain, ride, rile, ruin, sadden, sandbag, sicken, smite, sorrow, spoil, stab, sting, strain, stress, strike, sully, threaten, torment, torture, trample, trash-talk, traumatize, trouble, try, tyrannize, upset, use, vex, victimize, violate, worry, wound, wrack, wring, wrong (≠ abet, accommodate, advantage, aid, appease, assist, avenge, baby, benefit, bless, cherish, coddle, comfort, console, content, cosset, cotton, cradle, defend, delight, deliver, dignify, elevate, entertain, favor, featherbed, foster, free, gratify, heal, help, humor, infantilize, mollycoddle, nourish, nurse, nurture, oblige, pacify, pamper, pity, placate, please, promote, protect, quiet, rectify, regret, release, relieve, remedy, reprieve, rescue, reward, satiate, satisfy, save, soothe, spoon-feed, succor, support, tickle, treasure, treat)
PERSUADE (←): advise, allure, argue, assure, bed, beguile, blandish, blarney, brainwash, bring, bullshit, buttonhole, cajole, coax, coerce, convert, convince, counsel, court, encourage, enlist, entice, entreat, exhort, fast-talk, gain, get, goad, impel, impress, incite, incline, induce, influence, inveigle, lead, lobby, lubricate, lure, midwife, mollify, move, palaver, press, prod, prompt, retrain, romance, rouse, satisfy, schmooze, seduce, sell, snooker, snow, soft-sell, stroke, sway, tantalize, tease, tempt, touch, urge, wheedle, win, woo (≠ -avoid, bulldoze, delay, demotivate, -deter, discourage, disenchant, dissuade, -forbid, force, -halt, hamper, hinder, -ignore, muscle, -neglect, postpone, -prevent, -prohibit, protest, railroad, repel, repress, restrain, shelve, short-circuit, stall, steamroller, stop, suppress, -thwart, unsell, -veto)
PERVERT (/): abase, abuse, adulterate, bastardize, befoul, bend, bestialize, blemish, brainwash, bribe, cheapen, contaminate, contort, corrupt, damage, debase, debauch, deface, defile, deform, degrade, dehumanize, demean, dement, demoralize, deprave, derange, desecrate, destroy, deteriorate, dilute, dirty, disgrace, dishonor, distort, doctor, doom, falsify, flaw, fudge, garble, gaslight, harm, humble, humiliate, hurt, impair, lessen, mar, misapply, misconstrue, misdirect, misinterpret, mislead, misrepresent, mistreat, misuse, nobble, poison, pollute, profane, prostitute, retrain, ruin, shame, spoil, stain, suborn, subvert, taint, tarnish, thin, turn, twist, vitiate, warp, weaken, whore, wreck, wrong (≠ assist, better, clarify, clean, cleanse, decontaminate, dignify, elevate, enhance, ennoble, enrich, exalt, help, heroicize, honor, idealize, idolize, improve, moralize, optimize, overhaul, perfect, purify, rarefy, refine, respect, restore, sanctify, straighten, uplift)
PERVERT (/): belie, bend, bowdlerize, camouflage, censor, color, complicate, confound, confuse, cook, disguise, distort, embellish, embroider, falsify, fudge, garble, gloss, half-ass, heighten, mask, miscommunicate, misdescribe, mishear, misinterpret, misread, misrepresent, misstate, mistake, mistranslate, mix, mystify, obfuscate, obscure, rephrase, romanticize, sentimentalize, slant, twist, veil, warp, whitewash (≠ betray, clarify, clear, communicate, decipher, declare, decode, decrypt, delineate, demonstrate, depict, evince, explain, expose, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, limn, portray, render, reveal, untangle)
PESTER (→): afflict, aggravate, agitate, anger, annoy, antagonize, badger, bait, bedevil, beleaguer, beset, besiege, bother, browbeat, bug, bully, chafe, chaff, chivy, confound, craze, devil, distress, disturb, dog, dun, earbash, enrage, exasperate, fret, frustrate, gall, gate-crash, gnaw, harangue, harass, harry, hassle, heckle, hector, henpeck, hound, importune, incense, incommode, inconvenience, inflame, infuriate, invade, irk, irritate, jeer, madden, mock, molest, nag, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, nudge, outrage, panhandle, peeve, persecute, perturb, pique, plague, poke, prick, prod, provoke, rankle, rasp, remind, ride, ridicule,
rile, roil, ruffle, sandbag, stalk, tantalize, taunt, tease, torment, trespass, troll, trouble, vex, worry (≠ amuse, appease, captivate, charm, comfort, console, content, court, delight, disarm, -disregard, enchant, energize, enliven, entertain, fascinate, forget, gladden, gratify, -ignore, leave, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, please, satisfy, seduce, -slight, -snub, thrill, titillate, welcome, woo)
PET (+): baby, caress, clasp, coddle, cosset, cradle, cuddle, dandle, embrace, enfold, fondle, gentle, hold, hug, indulge, infantilize, knead, love, massage, mollycoddle, nurse, nuzzle, pamper, pat, paw, rub, smooch, snuggle, spoil, spoon, stroke, strum, touch (≠ abuse, assault, attack, -avoid, batter, crucify, harm, hurt, -ignore, injure, mangle, maul, murder, -neglect, punish, smash, strangle, strike, torment, torture)
PETITION (←): adjure, beg, beseech, besiege, bid, cadge, claim, coerce, command, compel, constrain, covet, crave, demand, desire, entreat, force, implore, importune, induce, insist, invoke, memorialize, mooch, oblige, plead, pray, press, reclaim, recover, request, require, retrieve, scavenge, seek, solicit, sponge, sue, target, urge (≠ allow, appease, assist, assuage, -avoid, comfort, console, content, deliver, -disregard, gratify, help, hint, -ignore, imply, intimate, mollify, oblige, -overlook, pacify, permit, placate, please, quiet, relieve, satisfy, -sidestep, suggest)
PETRIFY (←): calcify, crystallize, fossilize, freeze, harden, immobilize, ossify, paralyze, set, solidify, toughen, transfix (≠ crumble, disintegrate, dissolve, liquefy, melt, relax, release, soften, thaw, unstiffen, weaken)
PETRIFY (/): alarm, amaze, appall, astonish, astound, boggle, castrate, chill, confound, damp, dampen, daunt, daze, deactivate, deaden, debilitate, dehydrate, demoralize, desiccate, devitalize, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, drain, dumbfound, emasculate, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fatigue, frighten, gobsmack, horrify, immobilize, lobotomize, numb, panic, paralyze, rattle, sap, scare, shake, spook, startle, stun, stupefy, terrify, transfix, undermine, unman, weaken, wear (≠ aid, arouse, boost, bore, brace, buoy, calm, charge, cheer, comfort, convulse, ease, electrify, energize, enliven, excite, fortify, galvanize, inspire, invigorate, kindle, lift, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacify, placate, provoke, quicken, relax, rouse, soothe, spark, steady, stimulate, stir, trigger, vivify, weary)
PICK (→): abet, activate, advance, begin, brew, cultivate, detonate, encourage, energize, enliven, excite, ferment, fire, foment, forward, foster, further, galvanize, incite, inflame, inspire, instigate, invigorate, kindle, motivate, nourish, nurture, prod, produce, promote, prompt, provoke, quicken, raise, rouse, set, sow, spur, start, stimulate, stir, trigger, vitalize (≠ allay, bridle, calm, cease, check, conclude, constrain, curb, defuse, demotivate, discourage, end, finish, -halt, hamper, hold, inhibit, quiet, regulate, rein, restrain, settle, soothe, still, stop, subdue, tame, terminate, -thwart, tranquilize)
PICK (→): breach, crack, crowbar, dent, dislodge, force, hack, hit, hoist, jimmy, lever, lift, nose, open, poke, pop, prize, pry, raise, shift, strike, unfasten, unlock, winkle (≠ bolt, chain, close, connect, deadbolt, fasten, guard, join, latch, lock, protect, seal, secure, shut)
PICK (←): accept, adopt, appoint, cherry-pick, choose, cull, designate, elect, embrace, espouse, fancy, favor, finger, fix, handpick, mark, name, nominate, prefer, preselect, prioritize, select, set, slot, tab, tag, take, tap (≠ ban, blackball, blacklist, -decline, discard, discredit, disfavor, disgrace, dismiss, fire, jettison, -omit, -ostracize, oust, -refuse, -reject, -repudiate, -shun, -spurn)
PICK (←): accumulate, acquire, amass, bag, capture, choose, collect, compile, crop, cull, cut, download, draw, forage, gain, garner, gather, glean, grow, harvest, hoard, hunt, net, obtain, pluck, procure, pull, raise, reap, recycle, salvage, scavenge, secure, seek, select, separate, snare, sort, source, stockpile, trap, winnow (≠ crop, diffuse, disperse, distribute, divide, grow, lose, nurture, plant, -refuse, -reject, scatter, seed, source, sow, spend, squander, start, waste, yield)
PIERCE (→): access, bore, break, broach, cleave, core, crack, cut, drill, enter, excavate, gaff, gash, gouge, groove, hack, hollow, impale, incise, invade, jab, knife, lance, notch, penetrate, perforate, plow, poke, prick, probe, punch, puncture, razor, rend, riddle, rupture, shank, shiv, skewer, slash, slice, slit, spear, spike, split, stab, stake, stick, tap, transfix (≠ armor, bar, barricade, block, cloak, close, clothe, cloud, defend, deflect, disguise, eject, extract, fill, -forbid, guard, heal, invite, leach, leave, leech, open, oust, parry, plug, protect, seal, secure, shield, veil, welcome, withdraw)
PIGEONHOLE (→): box, cage, catalog, categorize, class, classify, compartmentalize, constrain, defer, delay, dismiss, file, group, hierarchize, hinder, hold, label, limit, package, peg, pin, postpone, prioritize, rank, shelve, sideline, slot, sort, stall, tab, table, tag, trap, typecast (≠ conflate, confuse, elevate, jumble, mislabel, miss, mistake, mix, muddle, -omit, -overlook, promote, recategorize, reclassify, scatter, scramble)
PILFER (←): annex, appropriate, bag, borrow, burglarize, collar, cop, crib, defalcate, embezzle, filch, grab, grasp, heist, hijack, hoist, hook, liberate, lift, loot, misappropriate, mooch, nail, nick, nip, nobble, palm, pick, pillage, pinch, pluck, plunder, poach, pocket, pull, purloin, remove, requisition, rifle, rob, rustle, sack, scrounge, seize, shanghai, shoplift, snaffle, snag, snare, snatch, sneak, snitch, sponge, steal, swipe, take, thieve, whip (≠ bestow, buy, comp, contribute, donate, entrust, furnish, give, guard, hand, leave, offer, present, preserve, purchase, receive, recoup, recover, restore, retain, return, share, shield, supply, tender, volunteer)
PILLAGE (←): arrogate, burgle, cannibalize, confiscate, consume, damage, depredate, desecrate, desolate, despoil, destroy, devastate, devour, freeboot, gut, invade, loot, mar, maraud, misappropriate, nab, pilfer, pinch, plunder, purloin, raid, ransack, ravage, raze, rend, rifle, rob, ruin, sack, spoil, steal, strip, thieve, vandalize, waste, wreck (≠ build, construct, create, defend, grow, guard, help, improve, maintain, offer, preserve, protect, rebuild, receive, release, rescue, safeguard, save, shield, withstand)
PILLORY (/): attack, blackguard, blame, blast, blemish, blister, boo, brand, burn, chide, condemn, cook, criticize, critique, crucify, deflate, demean, demonize, denounce, denunciate, deride, discipline, discredit, disgrace, disparage, disrespect, expose, flout, fulminate, grill, harangue, harass, hassle, heckle, hector, hound, humiliate, incriminate, insult, jeer, knock, label, lampoon, lash, mark, mock, needle, out, poke, punish, rag, razz, -repudiate, rib, ridicule, satirize, scold, scorch, -scorn, shame, shrivel, -shun, -spurn, stain, stigmatize, taunt, tease, unmask, vilify, vilipend, wither (≠ acclaim, admire, adore, anonymize, applaud, blandish, bless, cheer, commend, compliment, conceal, confess, congratulate, defend, -disregard, exalt, exonerate, extol, flannel, flatter, glorify, gratify, hail, hide, high-five, honor, -ignore, magnify, praise, promote, protect, reward, salute, sanctify, vindicate, worship)
PILOT (→): administer, boss, bridle, captain, chair, command, conduct, control, direct, discipline, dominate, drive, execute, fly, govern, guide, handle, harness, head, influence, lead, manage, maneuver, manipulate, monitor, navigate, negotiate, operate, order, oversee, quarterback, rule, run, sail, shepherd, skipper, spearhead, steer, superintend, supervise (≠ -abandon, chase, crash, cripple, -deny, -desert, foil, follow, -frustrate, hamper, hamstring, heed, hinder, -ignore, maroon, mind, mishandle, mismanage, misrule, monkey-wrench, -neglect, obey, obstruct, pursue, -refuse, relinquish, ride, sabotage, serve, sideswipe, smash, submit, subvert, target)
PIMP (→): abuse, advertise, aggrandize, announce, auction, ballyhoo, bleed, boost, broker, cheat, commercialize, commodify, distribute, exploit, fleece, hard-sell, hawk, hustle, hype, leverage, limelight, manipulate, market, milk, mistreat, monetize, negotiate, overcharge, peddle, play, plug, presell, procure, promo, promote, promulgate, prostitute, provide, publicize, push, renegotiate, sell, shill, skin, soak, solicit, steer, stick, tout, trade, traffic, use, whore, work, wrong (≠ borrow, buy, cherish, compliment, defend, donate, encourage, guard, lease,
nurture, pamper, prize, protect, raise, -refuse, -reject, rent, respect, safeguard, shelter, shield, support, treasure, value, withhold)
PIN (→): affix, attach, bind, cinch, clasp, clinch, clip, close, fasten, fix, immobilize, join, nail, peg, pinion, press, secure, staple, stick, tack (≠ detach, disconnect, divide, move, pull, remove, separate, split, unfasten, unlatch, unpin, yank)
PIN (←): arrest, bind, bridle, captivate, chain, check, collar, confine, constrain, constrict, control, curb, detain, fetter, govern, hinder, hogtie, hold, immobilize, impede, imprison, inhibit, leash, manacle, obstruct, press, -prevent, regulate, restrain, restrict, shackle, stop, straightjacket, subdue, suppress, tether, tie (≠ deliver, emancipate, encourage, expedite, fast-forward, fast-track, forget, free, fuel, hurry, liberate, loose, -overlook, quicken, rush, unleash, unshackle, untie)
PINCH (←): apprehend, arrest, bag, bind, book, bust, cage, capture, catch, collar, commit, condemn, confine, constrain, convict, detain, enchain, fetter, get, grab, grapple, handcuff, hold, hook, immure, impound, imprison, incarcerate, intern, jail, jug, keep, land, limit, manacle, nab, nail, nick, pen, remand, restrain, restrict, seize, sentence, shackle, shanghai, snaffle, snare, snatch, trammel, trap (≠ acquit, alibi, bail, discharge, emancipate, enfranchise, exculpate, exonerate, free, incriminate, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, pardon, redeem, release, spare, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, vindicate)