Perform Means to Carry Something Through to the End
To perform is to carry out a task or to present an entertainment. The Old French root means to complete, which explains the business sense.
To perform is to carry out an action, or to present a work to an audience. The Old French *parfournir* means to complete or furnish fully, which is why a contract is *performed* when it has been carried out, and why a company's *performance* is about results rather than applause.
- To carry out a task. *Perform a check.*
- To present to an audience. *They perform on Fridays.*
- To function at some level. *The car performs well in the wet.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | perform | Perform the test. |
| Past | performed | Performed live. |
| Noun | performance | A strong performance. |
| Person | performer | A street performer. |
| Adjective | performing | The performing arts. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Surgeons performed the operation overnight.Carrying out a task.
- The quartet performs at the town hall.Entertainment.
- The fund underperformed the index.Finance.
Performance in different fields
- Theatre — a single presentation of a work
- Business — results measured against targets
- Law — carrying out contractual obligations
- Engineering — how well a machine works
- Performance art — art made of live action rather than objects
From Anglo-French *parfourmer*, an alteration of Old French *parfournir*, to complete, from *par*, thoroughly, and *fournir*, to provide — the same *fournir* as in *furnish*.
Why is business success called performance?
Because the word originally meant carrying something out fully. Judging performance is judging how completely the job was done.
Perform or play?
Musicians play instruments and perform works. A play is performed, and a performer plays a part.