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Origin and history of perform

perform(v.)

c. 1300, performen, "carry into effect, fulfill, discharge, carry out what is demanded or required," via Anglo-French performer, performir, altered (by influence of Old French forme "form") from Old French parfornir "to do, carry out, finish, accomplish," from par- "completely" (see per-) + fornir "to provide" (see furnish). Church Latin had a compound performo "to form thoroughly, to form."

Theatrical/musical senses of "act or represent on or as on a stage; sing or render on a musical instrument" are from c. 1600. The verb was used with wider senses in Middle English than now, including "to make, construct; produce, bring about;" also "come true" (of dreams), and to performen muche time was "to live long." Related: Performed; performing; performable.

also from c. 1300

Entries linking to perform

furnish(v.)

mid-15c., "fit out, equip, to provision" (a castle, ship, person); "provide (soldiers)," from Old French furniss-/forniss-, present participle stem of furnir/fornir "accomplish, carry out; equip, fit out; provide" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *fornire, alteration of *fromire, from West Germanic *frumjan "forward movement, advancement" (source also of Old High German frumjan "to do, execute, provide"), from Proto-Germanic *fram- "forwards" (see from). General meaning "to provide" (something) is from 1520s; specifically "provide furniture for a room or house" from 1640s. Related: Furnished; furnishing.

outperform(v.)

"perform better than," 1915, an advertiser's word at first, from out- + perform. Related: Outperformed; outperforming.

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Trends of perform

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to explore

par
1620s, "equality in value or circumstances," also "value of one currency in terms of another," from Latin par "equal, equal-sized, well-matched," also as a noun, "that which is equal, equality," a word of unknown and disputed origin. De Vaan is noncommittal. Watkins suggests perh
performance
late 15c., "accomplishment, completion" (of something), from perform + -ance. Meaning "that which is accomplished, a thing performed" is from 1590s; that of "action of performing a play, etc." is from 1610s; that of "a public entertainment" is from 1709. The earlier noun in Middl
do
"perform, execute, achieve, carry out, bring to pass by procedure of any kind," etc., Middle English do, first person singular of Old English don "make, act, perform, cause; to put, to place," from West Germanic *doanan (source also of Old Saxon duan, Old Frisian dwa, Dutch doen,
practice
practice;" from Old French pratiser, practiser "to practice," alteration of practiquer, from Medieval Latin practicare "to do, perform...From early 15c. as "to carry on a profession," especially medicine; also "to do or perform repeatedly or habitually with...the object of acquiring skill, to learn by repeated performance;" from mid-15c. as "to perform, work at, exercise."...Intransitive sense of "perform certain acts repeatedly, train one's self" is by 1590s....
last
endure, go on existing," from Old English læstan "to continue, endure," earlier "follow (a leader), accomplish, carry out, perform...(source also of Gothic laistjan "to follow after," Old Frisian lasta "to fulfill, to pay (duties)," German leisten "to perform...
act
adjudicate" a legal case, from Latin actus, past participle of agere "to set in motion, drive, drive forward," hence "to do, perform...The general sense of "to do, perform, transact" is from c. 1600....In theater use from 1590s as "perform as an actor" (intransitive), 1610s as "represent by performance on the stage" (transitive...The general meaning "perform specific duties or functions," often on a temporary basis, is by 1804....
sashay
1836, "perform a gliding step in dancing," a mangled Englishing of French chassé "gliding step" (in ballet), literally "chased...Hence "to perform a casual walk or glide; move diagonally or irregularly," and "walk ostentatiously or provocatively."...
render
late 14c., rendren, rendre, "repeat, say again, recite; translate," from Old French rendre "give back, present, yield" (10c.) and Medieval Latin rendere, from Vulgar Latin *rendere, a variant of Latin reddere "give back, return, restore," from red- "back" (see re-) + combining fo
grandstand
"main seating for spectators at an outdoor event," 1761 (two words), from grand (adj.) + stand (n.). The verb meaning "to show off" is student slang from 1895, from grandstand player, attested in baseball slang from 1888. It's little things of this sort which makes the 'grand st
dale
level or gently sloping ground between low hills with a stream flowing through it, Old English dæl "vale, valley, gorge," from Proto-Germanic *dalaz "valley" (source also of Old Saxon, Dutch, Gothic dal, Old Norse dalr, Old High German tal, German Tal "valley"), perhaps from PIE

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