perdu

See also: perdû

English

Alternative forms

• perdue

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French perdu, originally after sentinelle perdue.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /pəːˈdjuː/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uː

Adjective

perdu (not comparable)

1. (obsolete, military) Stationed in an exposed or hazardous position; hidden in ambush. Originally as sentinel perdu. [17th–19th c.]
   • c. 1616–1619 (first performance), John Fletcher, “The Loyal Svbiect”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act I, scene i:

     a perdue captain

2. (now rare) In a dangerous situation; lost, desperate. [from 17th c.]
   • 1924, Herman Melville, chapter 7, in Billy Budd‎^[1], London: Constable & Co.:

     Among certain grizzled sea-gossips of the gun decks and forecastle went a rumor perdue […]

3. (now rare) Hidden; concealed from sight. Chiefly with lie. [from 17th c.]
   • 1642, Thomas Fuller, The Holy State, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel for John Williams, […], →OCLC:

     He should lie Perdue who is to walk the round.

   • 1792, Charlotte Smith, Desmond, Broadview, published 2001, page 346:

     I stood perdu behind Mr Grimbold; a tall personage, whose broad shoulders, however, just permitted me to peep over at the Major, who had not yet espied me.

Related terms

• cire perdue
• pierre perdu
• profil perdu
• recherche du temps perdu

 

Noun

perdu (plural perdus)

1. One placed on watch, or in ambush.
2. A soldier sent on a forlorn hope.
   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii], line 35:

     To watch, poor perdu, / With this thin helm?

Anagrams

• Dupre, Prude, drupe, duper, prude, pured, red up, red-up

Esperanto

Verb

perdu

1. imperative of perdi

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɛʁ.dy/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (Switzerland):

  (file)

• Homophones: perdue, perdus, perdues

Participle

perdu (feminine perdue, masculine plural perdus, feminine plural perdues)

1. past participle of perdre

Adjective

perdu (feminine perdue, masculine plural perdus, feminine plural perdues)

1. lost

Derived terms

• à corps perdu
• à fonds perdu
• bien perdu, bien connu
• cause perdue
• cire perdue
• pain perdu
• peine perdue
• rattraper le temps perdu
• trou perdu
• un de perdu, dix de retrouvés
• une de perdue, dix de retrouvées

 

Further reading

• “perdu”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• drupe, duper

German

Etymology

Borrowed from French perdu.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

perdu (strong nominative masculine singular perduer, not comparable)

1. lost

Further reading

• “perdu” in Duden online
• “perdu” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Indonesian

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [pərˈdu]
• Hyphenation: pêr‧du

Noun

pêrdu (first-person possessive perduku, second-person possessive perdumu, third-person possessive perdunya)

1. shrub: a woody plant smaller than a tree, and usually with several stems from the same base.
2. clump (of trees), cluster

   Synonym: rumpun

Further reading

• “perdu” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.