perfect

perfect

I

per‧fect¹ S2 W2 /ˈpɜːfɪkt $ ˈpɜːr-/ adjective1. not having any mistakes, faults, or damage
   OPP  imperfect:
    His English was perfect.
    The car was in perfect condition.
    You’re very lucky to have perfect teeth.
    a perfect performance
    In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need an army.
2. as good as possible, or the best of its kind:
    The weather was perfect the whole week.
    a perfect example of Gothic architecture
    The clothes were a perfect fit.
    a perfect solution to the problem
    Ronnie was in perfect health.
    perfect timing (=used when something happens at exactly the right time)
    Good, you’re home. Perfect timing – dinner’s on the table.
3. exactly what is needed for a particular purpose, situation, or person
   SYN  ideal:
    That’s perfect__ Just the way I wanted it to look.
    Crusty bread is the perfect accompaniment to this soup.
    perfect for
    The land is perfect for sheep farming.
    perfect way/place/time etc to do something
    She thought she’d found the perfect place to live.
    perfect day/place/person etc for something
    a perfect day for a picnic
    the perfect actor for the part
4. nobody’s perfect spoken said when you are answering someone who has criticized you or someone else:
    So I made a mistake__ Nobody’s perfect.
5. have a perfect right to do something used to emphasize that it is reasonable for someone to do something:
    He has a perfect right to know what’s happening.
6. perfect stranger/fool/angel etc used to emphasize that someone has a particular quality completely
   SYN  complete, total:
    I felt a perfect idiot.
⇨ perfectly, ⇨ practice makes perfect at practice(9), ⇨ present perfect, past perfect
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meanings 1, 2 & 3)

■ adverbs
   ▪ absolutely perfect His sight is absolutely perfect.
   ▪ quite perfect written (=absolutely perfect) The old bottle was very dark blue and quite perfect.
   ▪ almost/nearly/near perfect His collection included an almost perfect skeleton of an armadillo. | Her performance was near perfect.
   ▪ less than perfect (=not perfect) So many excellent writers, for example Byron and Keats, were less than perfect spellers.
   ▪ far from perfect (=not at all perfect) The weather conditions were far from perfect.
   ▪ technically perfect The system was technically perfect.
     

THESAURUS

■ without anything wrong
   ▪ perfect used about something that is very good in every way, and could not be better: We had a wonderful vacation - the weather was perfect. | The meal was absolutely perfect. | She has perfect teeth.
   ▪ flawless/faultless without any mistakes or faults: His English was flawless. | a faultless performance
   ▪ impeccable so good that you cannot find anything wrong with it – used especially about someone’s behaviour, taste, or experience: The food was excellent and the service impeccable. | a man of impeccable manners, charm, and sensibility | her mother's impeccable taste in clothing | The commission was composed of economists with impeccable credentials (=very impressive qualifications and experience, which are impossible to criticize).
   ▪ unspoiled (also unspoilt British English) an unspoiled area has not been changed or had ugly buildings, roads etc built on it: a beautiful area of unspoiled countryside
■ most suitable
   ▪ perfect completely suitable for something or someone: It’s the perfect place to relax after a hard day at work. | It was a perfect day for going to the beach. | I think she would be perfect for him.
   ▪ ideal very suitable and exactly what you want – often used about someone or something that you imagine, but which does not really exist: What would be your ideal job? | She still hasn’t found her ideal man. | It is the ideal place for a vacation.
   ▪ just right especially spoken very good or suitable in every way: The weather was just right for a day at the beach. | The dress is just right for you.
   ▪ be just the thing/person informal to be exactly what is needed or wanted: Cold lemonade is just the thing on a hot day. | He’s just the person for the job.

II

per‧fect² /pəˈfekt $ pər-/ verb [transitive]to make something as good as you are able to:
    Mock trials help students perfect their legal skills.

III

per‧fect³ /ˈpɜːfɪkt $ ˈpɜːr-/ noun
the perfect technical the form of a verb which is used when talking about a period of time up to and including the present. In English, it is formed with ‘have’ and the past participle.
   SYN  present perfect
⇨ past perfect