perscopate

English

Etymology

From Latin per- ‘throughout’ + scopatus, from scopa ‘bristle’ (classically only found in plural scopae ‘broom, brush’).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɜːskəpeɪt/

Verb

perscopate (third-person singular simple present perscopates, present participle perscopating, simple past and past participle perscopated)

1. (archaic) to bristle or horripilate
   • 1970, Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander:

     Let us take your cat: now suppose we shave her tail, so that it cannot shall I say perscopate or bristle; suppose we attach a board to her back, so that it cannot arch; suppose we then exhibit a displeasing sight – a sportive dog, for instance.