See Also: perch(medicine)
sea perch(medicine)
perch(1)(dictionary)
perch(2)(dictionary)
perch(dictionary)
perch(encyclopedia)
perch 2, verb(dictionary)
perch 1, noun(dictionary)
Nile perch(encyclopedia)
PERCH, measure(law)

perch(2) (iou)



perch noun2. ME.
[Old & mod. French perche from Latin pertica pole, measuring rod. Cf. PERK noun1.]
I.
A pole, a rod, a stick. Long obsolete exc. dial. in gen. sense. ME.
b. A pole set up in the bed of a river etc. to aid navigation. LME.
c. The centre pole by which the hinder carriage is connected to the forecarriage in some horse-drawn vehicles. M17.
II.
Orig., a rod of a definite length used for measuring land etc. Later, a measure of length, esp. for land, walls, etc., standardized at 5 1 / 2 yards (approx. 5.029 m). Also called pole, rod. Now rare exc. Hist. ME.
b. More fully square perch. A measure of area (of land, brickwork, etc.), equal to the 160th part of an acre or 30 1 / 4 sq. yards (approx. 25.29 sq. metres). Also called pole, rod, square pole, square rod. Now rare exc. Hist. ME.
c. A solid measure used for stone, usually containing 24.75 cu. ft (approx. 0.7008 cu. metre) but varying locally. E19.
III.
a. A horizontal bar used as a peg. obsolete exc. Hist. LME.
b. A horizontal bar for a hawk or tame bird to rest on; anything on which a bird alights or rests. LME.
Birder's World A tall spike of common mullein makes an attractive perch for an Indigo Bunting.
c. A bar to support a candle or candles, esp. as an altar-light. L15-M16.
d. A thing or place where a person alights or on which a person rests, esp. one that is high or precarious; colloq. a small high seat on a vehicle for the driver or a servant. E16.
H. E. Bates 'Take a perch'. Forrester sat down. W. J. Burley You keep this perch warm for a while, I'm doing a walkabout.
e. Theatrical. A platform from which lights are directed on to the front of the stage; in pl., the lights placed on this. M20.
Orig., a wooden bar, or frame of two parallel bars, over which pieces of cloth were pulled for examination or dressing. Now, a horizontal bar used in softening leather. M16.
Phrases: come off one's perch, get off one's perch slang climb down, adopt a less arrogant or condescending manner. hop the perch slang & dial., arch. be ruined or vanquished; die. knock off one's perch slang upset, vanquish, or ruin a person; disconcert, humiliate, or snub a person. square perch: see sense 4b above. tip over the perch, tip the perch arch. slang & dial. = hop the perch above.
Comb.: perch-bolt: on which the perch of a carriage turns.
perchery noun & adjective (a) noun a series of cages with perches, in which hens are confined for intensive laying; (b) adjective kept or produced in a perchery: L20