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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

pervade

Verb

IPA /pəˈveɪd/

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Meaning in plain English

To spread throughout a place, group or situation and be noticeable in almost every part of it.

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Pronunciation

pervade/pəˈveɪd/

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  1. Fresh bread is baked in the kitchen

  2. Its smell spreads beyond one room

  3. The aroma is noticeable throughout the house

A smell can pervade a place when it spreads through every part.

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Examples in context

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  1. The smell of fresh bread pervaded the whole house.
  2. A sense of curiosity pervaded the class during the experiment.

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To spread throughout a place, group or situation and be noticeable in almost every part of it.
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pervade — To spread throughout a place, group or situation and be noticeable in almost every part of it.

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To spread throughout a place, group or situation and be noticeable in almost every part of it.

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Word origin

From Latin pervadere, combining elements meaning throughout and go.

Did you know?

Pervade can describe something sensed physically, such as a smell, or something abstract, such as a mood.

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pervade

/pəˈveɪd/ (Verb)

“This formal verb takes a direct object: music pervaded the room. Do not add through after it.”

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