What is the meaning of perused?
-
A
Passed judgment on
-
B
Engaged in
-
C
Read thoroughly
-
D
Took notes about
To peruse means to read thoroughly, examining text with careful attention to detail rather than skimming superficially.
A) Passed judgment on
Judgment involves evaluative decision-making, conclusion formation rather than information intake. One may peruse evidence before judging, but perusal itself constitutes data acquisition, not verdict rendering.
B) Engaged in
Engagement denotes participation, broad behavioral state lacking specificity about reading depth. One may engage superficially or deeply; peruse specifies deep engagement with text.
C) Read thoroughly
Thorough reading precisely defines peruse's authentic meaning: meticulous examination absorbing details, nuances, and implications. Etymologically from Latin per (through) + usus (use), peruse implies complete textual traversal, exactly matching thorough reading's comprehensive attention.
D) Took notes about
Note-taking represents one possible output of thorough reading but isn't inherent to perusal. One may peruse without recording, or take notes after cursory reading, confusing correlate with essence.
Conclusion
Peruse denotes meticulous textual examination, distinct from judgment, general engagement, or note-taking. Read thoroughly alone captures peruse's essential character: deliberate, comprehensive attention extracting full informational content rather than sampling superficially.
Topic Flashcards
Click to FlipWhat does skim mean, and how is it different from peruse?
To skim is to read quickly to get the main ideas. It is the opposite of perusing, which involves slow, detailed reading.
What is the meaning of scrutinize?
To examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.
What is cursory reading?
Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed. (This is an antonym for the kind of reading described by peruse).
What does pore over mean?
To be absorbed in the reading or study of something; to examine something carefully and at length.
What is a precise synonym for perused?
Read thoroughly, scrutinized, or examined carefully.