pervert Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behavior
    deviate; deviant; degenerate.
  2. verb corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
    debase; profane; misdirect; subvert; debauch; deprave; vitiate; corrupt; demoralise; demoralize.
    • debauch the young people with wine and women
    • Socrates was accused of corrupting young men
    • Do school counselors subvert young children?
    • corrupt the morals
  3. verb practice sophistry; change the meaning of or be vague about in order to mislead or deceive
    twist; convolute; sophisticate; twist around.
    • Don't twist my words
  4. verb change the inherent purpose or function of something
    misuse; abuse.
    • Don't abuse the system
    • The director of the factory misused the funds intended for the health care of his workers

WordNet


Per*vert" transitive verb
Etymology
F. pervertir, L. pervertere, perversum; per + vertere to turn. See Per-, and Verse.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Perverted; present participle & verbal noun Perverting
Definitions
  1. To turnanother way; to divert. Obs.
    Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath. Shak.
  2. To turn from truth, rectitude, or propriety; to divert from a right use, end, or way; to lead astray; to corrupt; also, to misapply; to misinterpret designedly; as, to pervert one's words. Dryden.
    He, in the serpent, had perverted Eve. Milton.
Per*vert" intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To become perverted; to take the wrong course. R. Testament of Love.
Per"vert noun
Definitions
  1. One who has been perverted; one who has turned to error, especially in religion; -- opposed to convert. See the Synonym of Convert.
    That notorious pervert, Henry of Navarre. Thackeray.

Webster 1913