persevere

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English perseveren,^[2][3][4] borrowed from Anglo-Norman parseverer, also perseverer, and Middle French perseverer,^[5][6] and, according to the MED, Etymonline and Barnhart, directly borrowed from Latin persevērō (“to continue steadfastly, persist”).^[2][3][7] The Latin verb is formed from per-, here an intensive,^[8][7] and sevērus (“strict, serious”),^[5][8] the source of severe; most dictionaries route it through persevērus (“very strict”).^{[4][3][9][10]} The adjective for strict is probably from Proto-Indo-European *segh- (“to have, hold”), on the notion of steadfastness.^[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

To continue steadfastly in a purpose or course of action: about 1380, in Chaucer's Second Nun's Tale.^[5][7] Etymonline dates the word to the late 14th century,^[3] and Dictionary.com to 1325–75.^[11]

Semantic evolution

Anglo-Norman had the sense "to continue, to last" in the first half of the 12th century and "to continue steadfastly in a purpose" about 1150.^[5][6] Chaucer, who used the English verb six times,^[12] also applied it to a thing that lasts, about 1390.^[5] The MED records further Middle English uses for continuing faithful to a spouse or a lord, standing firm in battle and staying alive.^[2] The theological sense, to continue until death in a state of grace, appears before 1425.^[5] The more neutral uses, simply remaining in a place or a condition, died out by 1784,^[5] and the current sense stresses continuing in the face of difficulty.^[5][10] Johnson (1755) defined the verb as not giving up an attempt or design.^[13] From 1691 it could also take a clause or direct speech, for going on saying something.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 1380 – of a person, to continue steadfastly in a purpose.^[5][7]
• c. 1390 – of a thing, to continue, to last.^[5]
• before 1425 – in theology, to continue in a state of grace until death.^[5]
• c. 1425 – with an infinitive, to continue to do something.^[5]
• before 1439 – to remain alive or in a condition (obsolete by 1784).^[5]
• 1502 – transitive, to maintain or keep constant (obsolete by 1655).^[5]
• 1691 – to persist in saying.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To keep to a purpose, task or course of action in spite of obstacles or discouragement: He persevered with the violin despite years of poor progress.^[4][14][8]
2. (theology) To remain in a state of grace until death.^[8][5]
3. To persist in saying or arguing something.^[8][5]
4. (obsolete, 1439–1784) To remain in a place, state or condition.^[8][5]

Word family

• perseveringly

Related words

• perseverance
• severe
• asseverate
• perseverate

Usage notes

Until the middle of the 17th century or later the usual English stress was on the second syllable, often with the spelling persever.^[5][7] Shakespeare used only that pattern, Quarles used both in one poem of 1624, and Milton always stressed the third syllable, which became universal by about 1680.^[5] Scottish writers had the third-syllable stress from an early date.^[5] The shift reflects the moving stress of the French and Latin verb forms,^[5] and Johnson (1755) called the older accent less proper.^[13] Merriam-Webster still lists it as archaic.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Kurath, Hans; Kuhn, Sherman M.; Lewis, Robert E., eds. (1952–2001), Middle English Dictionary, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press; online edition ed. Frances McSparran et al. (2000–2018)
3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (online 2024), 5th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
7. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
8. ^ a b c d e f g Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
9. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
10. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
11. ^ Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
12. ^ Benson, Larry D., Glossarial Concordance to Middle English (Chaucer, Gower), Johns Hopkins University, github.com/jhu-digital-manuscripts/gcme
13. ^ a b Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
14. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins