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drpaladin

drpaladin 94,857

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Pernie perpetually persecuted Perla personally.

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Bill W

Bill W 57,571

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The word "persecute" comes from the Latin persecut- ‘followed with hostility’, from the verb persequi, meaning "to follow" or "pursue", which itself is a combination of the prefix per- ("through") and sequi ("to follow").   It entered Middle English through the Old French persecuteur and describes the act of harassing or oppressing someone, either through persistent annoyance or, more formally, for beliefs like race or religion.  The combined meaning of "to follow through" evolved into "to follow with hostility," which is the basis for the modern definition of oppressing or harassing someone. 
 
According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the verb persecute was first used in English before 1475.  The OED cites a translation by author and translator Stephen Scrope as the earliest evidence of its use.  The word persecute was derived from the noun persecution during the Middle English period, around the year 1350.  The OED cites its first appearance in the text "Apocalypse St, John: A Version" and is a borrowing from French.  
 
Five examples of persecution are murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, and other inhumane acts done against any civilian population, or persecutions on political, racial, or religious grounds, when such acts are done or such persecutions are carried on in execution of or in connection with any crime against peace or any war crime. 

Examples of "persecute" in a sentence:  
"We often see dictators using force to repress and persecute their opponents." 
"In the 1930s, the Nazis passed laws that were meant to persecute German Jews." 
"Mr. Weaver and his family have been persecuted by the authorities for their beliefs." 
"Local boys constantly persecuted him, throwing stones at his windows." 
"Vic was bullied by his father and persecuted by his sisters."  (Not a nice family!) 

Edited by Bill W
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Bill W

Bill W 57,571

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1 hour ago, drpaladin said:

Pernie perpetually persecuted Perla personally.

Aren't you in an alliterative mood this morning!  :gikkle: 

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