Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To be present throughout; permeate: synonym: imbue.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To pass or flow through; penetrate; permeate.
  • To extend throughout; spread or be spread through the whole extent of; be diffused throughout.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To pass or flow through, as an aperture, pore, or interstice; to permeate.
  • transitive verb To pass or spread through the whole extent of; to be diffused throughout.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To be in every part of; to spread through

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb spread or diffuse through

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin pervādere : per-, through; see per– + vādere, to go.]

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Examples

  • These shades of expression pervade their language, tempering all their communications, and frequently imparting its pathos or energy to their eloquence.

    The Last of the Mohicans 1826

  • Twentieth-century attitudes and sensibilities as well as contemporary slang pervade the lyrics, and ironic allusions to modern life are scattered throughout the political depiction of the events.

    BroadwayWorld.com Featured Content 2009

  • We affirm Judge Bridges's conclusion that severance is not possible because the four unconscionable terms pervade the dispute resolution section of the agreement.

    Groklaw 2008

  • First, domestic violence does not "pervade" every community in America.

    NewsByUs 2009

  • First, domestic violence does not "pervade" every community in America.

    ChronWatch - Articles 2009

  • Demring hurried on, in a scandalized voice: "When we had fared thus far, we found the darkness was dust and gas such as pervade the universe at home.

    Explorations ANDERSON, Poul 1981

  • The film, thankfully, avoids the simplistic lectures that pervade many stories about social media, but it also fails to tackle how Zuckerberg's values, which are largely Facebook's values, impact the lives of its huge user base.

    Ari Melber: The Social Network: Because People Like Being Alone Together Ari Melber 2010

  • The film, thankfully, avoids the simplistic lectures that pervade many stories about social media, but it also fails to tackle how Zuckerberg's values, which are largely Facebook's values, impact the lives of its huge user base.

    Ari Melber: The Social Network: Because People Like Being Alone Together Ari Melber 2010

  • The film, thankfully, avoids the simplistic lectures that pervade many stories about social media, but it also fails to tackle how Zuckerberg's values, which are largely Facebook's values, impact the lives of its huge user base.

    Ari Melber: The Social Network: Because People Like Being Alone Together Ari Melber 2010

  • The film, thankfully, avoids the simplistic lectures that pervade many stories about social media, but it also fails to tackle how Zuckerberg's values, which are largely Facebook's values, impact the lives of its huge user base.

    Ari Melber: The Social Network: Because People Like Being Alone Together Ari Melber 2010

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