perfectionper‧fec‧tion /pəˈfekʃən $ pər-/ ●○○ noun [uncountable] 
My father expected perfection from all of us. the search for technical perfectionto perfection (=perfectly) The beef was cooked to perfection.2the process of making something perfectperfection of the perfection of his golf swing3 be perfection to be perfect: Her performance was pure perfection.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Don't expect perfection in your relationships.
- Lehmann had spent years in the development and perfection of his wine-making techniques.
- The sushi was beautifully presented and absolutely fresh - pure perfection.
- And these days one has so little rehearsal time to get any kind of perfection.
- Bartlett drew from the old-fashioned uniforms of the virile football player and the preening perfection of the city dweller.
- Beauty and perfection were crucial to him.
- It is part of the romantic ideal that the promise of a beautiful woman is the promise of eternal perfection.
- She saw perfection in his face, his intelligence, and his soul.
- The veggies were cooked to perfection, with no distracting crunchiness to contend with, and the flavors blended together gloriously.
- They arrived together, dressed with the studied perfection only achieved by gangsters and people about to appear on television.
Longman Language Activatorvery good, with nothing wrong
someone or something that is perfect is good in every way and could not be any better: · We had a wonderful vacation - the weather was perfect.absolutely perfect: · The meal was absolutely perfect.be in perfect health (=use this especially about someone who is old): · My mother's in perfect health, even though she's nearly 80.the perfect husband/secretary/couple etc: · Beth and Martin always seemed to be the perfect couple.
formal completely perfect, with no mistakes or faults at all: · Hiroshi's English was flawless.· He gave a faultless performance as Macbeth.
: model husband/wife/student etc someone who has all the qualities that a husband, wife, student etc should have: · Karen was a model student: hardworking, intelligent and enthusiastic.· Chris always got to work early and left late - the model employee.
formal behaviour that is impeccable , is so good that it is impossible to find anything wrong with it: impeccable manners/behaviour/taste etc: · Macdonald was an aristocratic character with impeccable manners.· As I expected, her house was decorated with impeccable taste.impeccable qualifications/credentials (=documents that show that your experience or skills are perfect for a particular job or situation): · On paper, her qualifications seemed to be impeccable.
say you can't fault something, when you cannot criticize it because it has no faults or mistakes: · I can't fault her driving, except that it's rather fast.· No one could fault the way he handled the crisis.
perfect over a long period of time: · The report stated that Stewart's character had remained completely unblemished.an unblemished reputation/record/past etc: · Mrs Falconer had an unblemished record of 27 years service with the company.· He has established an unblemished reputation for accuracy.
when something is so good that it could not be any better: · Don't expect perfection in your relationships.to perfection (=perfectly): · The pasta was cooked to perfection.
to make something perfect · The only way to perfect your accent is to go and live in France.· James was out on the ski slope, trying to perfect his short turns.· This technique was perfected by the Ancient Egyptians.perfect the art/technique of (doing) something · After eighteen years of marriage to Gemma, Ronald had perfected the art of keeping the peace.
written to make something perfect over a long period of time, especially when this takes a lot of care, practice, or skill: · Keeping the wine in a cool place for five years will bring it to perfection.· It requires considerable practise to bring the skill of weaving to perfection.
someone who is not satisfied with anything unless it is completely perfect: · Mart Kenney was a perfectionist, and his high standards were an example to everyone else.· She worked carefully on her drawing, with all the attention to detail of the perfectionist.
in a perfect way · The coffee machine seems to work perfectly now.· He was perfectly dressed in a dark suit and tie.· After two years in Spain, Kate spoke the language perfectly.
if something happens, or has been done to perfection , it is perfect and you are very pleased with it: · Marge tried on the dress and it fitted to perfection.· By September the apples had ripened to perfection.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(=be cooked exactly the right amount, so it is perfect)· All the dishes were cooked to perfection by the French chef.
(=a high level of excitement etc) He screamed at her in a pitch of fury.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE He screamed at her in a pitch of fury.· Everywhere one notices attempts to introduce greater purity, greater justice, greater perfection and a more universal explanation of things.· The universe is animated by an all-pervasive aspiration to a higher state, a greater perfection as embodied in the Prime Mover.
VERB· But to achieve perfection meant going further still.
· Heroic couplets, the typical verse form of the Augustan age, were brought to perfection by Alexander Pope.
· The veggies were cooked to perfection, with no distracting crunchiness to contend with, and the flavors blended together gloriously.· The salmon itself is a large steak cooked to perfection.
· When he creates a dish he begins and carries on until instinctively he knows the dish has reached perfection.· According to lovers of the wine, Yquem reaches its perfection when it is thirty years old.· Herbaceous borders have already reached perfection, annuals at their best and many shrubs continue to provide a good display.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
- He knew her body, knew her needs, and his timing was perfection.
- How could 1, when I am told that she is perfection itself?
- It was perfection, and displayed the most exquisite jewellery so brilliantly.
- Miss Shields' act was perfection itself.
WORD FAMILYnounperfection ≠ imperfectionperfectionistperfectionismperfectibilityadjectiveperfect ≠ imperfectperfectibleperfectionistverbperfectadverbperfectly ≠ imperfectly
1the state of being perfect: My father expected perfection from all of us. the search for technical perfectionto perfection (=perfectly) The beef was cooked to perfection.2the process of making something perfectperfection of the perfection of his golf swing3 be perfection to be perfect: Her performance was pure perfection.