perverse

Question

Despite a whole day of laborious attempts to understand it, the word "perverse" still escapes my comprehension and remains enigmatic. Here are my sentences with "perverse". Coulud you please check them?

No matter what he says, she never fails to oppose him. Her perverse character butchers his self-confidence.

Brenndan obeys no one. On the contrary, this perverse child tramples all rules and boundaries.

Being in a perverse mood, she stomped out of the room and slammed the door.

She knew that her skipping classes would hurt only her in a long run. Yet, out of pervisity, she continued doing it.

What woudl be some other examples? Why does one word can have multiple meanings?

Many, many thanks for your help!

Hope

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi again, Hope,

My dictionary gives these meanings for 'perverse'.

1. deliberately or stubbornly departing from what is reasonable or required.

2. persistent in error

3. peevish

4. perverted

5. (referring to a verdict) against the weight of evidence

I agree with all of these. So, let's see:

No matter what he says, she never fails to oppose him. Her perverse character butchers his self-confidence. OK #1 and maybe #2

Brenndan obeys no one. On the contrary, this perverse child tramples all rules and boundaries. OK #1

Being in a perverse mood, she stomped out of the room and slammed the door. OK. #3

She knew that her skipping classes would hurt only her in a long run. Yet, out of pervisity, she continued doing it. OK #1. And maybe #3

What would be some other examples?

When he came into the bedroom carrying hand-cuffs, wearing skis and covered from head to toe in honey, she said 'You are a perverse man. You know I prefer apricot jam'. #4 And perhaps #1!

Despite the 10 eye-witnesses, his fingerprints on the gun and his confession in court, the jury decided he was not guilty. The judge said 'That is a very perverse verdict'. #5

Why does one word can have multiple meanings?

That's not a simple question. Perhaps because they are shades of the same root meaning, perhaps for historical reasons, perhaps due to the different ways people come to use and to intrepret the word.

You seem to understand this word. You are writing strong and clear sentences.

Best wishes, Clive

Phuongninhbao · Answer

I think your way to use 'perverse' is very perfect in style but in meaning to tell the truth I don't like it.There is something like father like daughter snd like mother like son. I think perverse is good because we continue trying to do our work in spite of difficulty. We need to perserve if we want the business to

Phuong Ninh

Davkett · Answer

Phuongninhbao
I think perverse is good because we continue trying to do our work in spite of difficulty.

I think the word you want in this sentence is persevere.

Danyoo · Answer

Hope, here is the definition from Cambridge which might provide additional help.

perverse http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?dict=CALD&key=59140&ph=on
adjective DISAPPROVING
strange and not what most people would expect or enjoy:
Jack was being perverse and refusing to agree with anything we said.
She took a perverse pleasure in hearing that her sister was getting divorced.

Phuongninhbao · Answer

Thanks for your correction.If you don't tell me, I'll never discover this mistake. This word is very strange for me.I should look on dictionary, but I still confuse.However, I think I understand this word in this sentence. Perverse is a desobedient attitude that people don't hate it in some situation.For example the high forehead of Ali Mac Grower in Love Story film gave a deep impression to the viewers. It's a symbol of perverse. What I want to mean is I like a person who perverses a little or perverse in some interesting case as the case of my teacher:' I can forget because I don't take examination , you should remember because you need to pass an examination' So I think you are so great, you write poem to express a lot of superstructure, I can't follow you.

Phuong Ninh

Davkett · Answer

Phuong Ninh,

I think you may still be mixing up two words that look similar (but carefully observe the spelling): PERVERSE and PERSEVERE.

Perverse is an adjective, and means-- corrupt, improper, showing no regard for what is considered right. A person who is consistently perverse might be called a pervert.

Persevere is a verb, and means-- to continue to strive, even against difficulty.

The two words have no relationship to each other. They have totally distinct meanings.

TeacherBrian · Answer

Dear Student Spring

Try these alternatives. I think they retain the flavour of the original meanings, but without using the word "perverse":-
No matter what he says, she never fails to oppose him. Her strange ( and confrontational) character butchers his self-confidence.

Brenndan obeys no one. On the contrary, this awkward child tramples all rules and boundaries.

Being in an unreasonably uncooperative mood, she stomped out of the room and slammed the door.

She knew that her skipping classes would hurt only her in a long run. Yet, for some strange reason, she continued doing it. __________________________________________________________________
I hope this helps you.

Phuongninhbao · Answer

You're so great. Your correction makes the poem more vivid and concise. I do my best to write a poem. You're so kind to correct for spring. And I think you're a generous teacher. It seems I have done something wrong to disagree with your explanation. I' was perverse with a teacher's of teacher. Would you be so kind to correct for me this poem to encourage me?

Forget to remember

Why don' t we stop to mention to our brother?

Memory to recall refers at way of thinking

And feeling will be the best to live better

Sorrow and pain all kinds of tears in life

Will turn into smoke, dust and frost to remember

Could your sense and mine are the same fragrance?

No one capable to imagine he is also my brother

How much rosary did our gentle mother pray for me?

An d forget- me-not is an eternal beautiful flower

Tolerant and torment still put the end to our mind

Only the meaning life will exist forever.

Phuong ninh

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