Both Uses of
perish
in
Notes from the Underground
- We Russians, speaking generally, have never had those foolish transcendental "romantics"—German, and still more French—on whom nothing produces any effect; if there were an earthquake, if all France perished at the barricades, they would still be the same, they would not even have the decency to affect a change, but would still go on singing their transcendental songs to the hour of their death, because they are fools.†
Chpt 2.1perished = died, was destroyed, or ceased to exist
- But I will make up for it or perish on the spot this very night.†
Chpt 2.5 *perish = die, be destroyed, or cease to exist
Definition:
to die -- especially in an unnatural way
or:
to be destroyed or cease to exist
or:
to be destroyed or cease to exist
You may encounter an informal expression, "Perish the thought." It means that the speaker hopes the thought will cease to exist and the thing it represents will never happen.