verb
peruse
puh-ROOZ
verb
1
To read something carefully and thoroughly.
"The lawyer perused the contract line by line before signing."
2
To look over something casually or skim through it.
"She perused the magazine while waiting for her coffee."
How to Use Peruse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo read or look through something, though people disagree on whether it means "read carefully" or "skim casually" — both uses are common.
Common mistake
Traditionalists insist peruse means to read carefully, not to skim, but the casual "skim" sense is now widespread and accepted in everyday use.
Common pairings
peruse the menu
peruse a document
browse and peruse
Word Forms
perused past tense, peruses plural, peruses singular
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The lawyer _____ the contract line by line before signing.
Etymology
Origin debated — likely from Anglo-Norman peruser ("to use up") or Medieval Latin perusitare ("wear out"), later narrowing to mean "examine closely."