pervert

plural perverts

1. datedOne who has been perverted; one who has turned to error, or adopted a twisted sense of values or morals.

   According to the Holy Qur'an, those who cast off God's signs and follow Satan and their caprice are perverts; they are likened to dogs […]

   2001, Ismāʻīl Salāmī, Islamic Views on Human Rights: Viewpoints of Iranian Scholars, page 128

   2 more examples

   And yet it is not only tolerated, but perverts are making to it in England and this country, — perverts among the intelligent and the learned. For these things, which I have quoted, are not accusations made in a corner, but have been published in the face of the world by one of the profoundest theologians of the day, and challenge confutation.

   1867, Stephen Elliott, Sermons, page 382

   […] a religious pervert is ever a doubtful product. One separated from the fellows of his youth and the faith of his fathers, by acceptance of a different religion, is of necessity more or less adrift on the sea of life […]

   1925, The Dalhousie Review, volume 5, page 115

2. A person whose sexual habits are not considered acceptable.

   Those perverts were trying to spy on us while we changed clothes!

   1 more example

   I know more damn perverts, at schools and all, than anybody you ever met, and they're always being perverty when I'm around.

   1951 July 16, J[erome] D[avid] Salinger, chapter 24, in The Catcher in the Rye, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →OCLC

   Synonyms: perv · Antonyms: normophile

present singular third person perverts · participle present perverting · participle past perverted · past perverted

1. transitiveTo turn another way; to divert.

   Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath.

   1623, William Shakespeare, Cymbeline

   Synonyms: divert, steer, veer

2. transitiveTo corrupt; to cause to be untrue; corrupted or otherwise impure

   How could stopping someone from killing himself or herself "pervert the course of justice"?

   3 more examples

   He, in the serpent, had perverted Eve.

   1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost

   He was a good Proteſtant, but when he fell into the Jeſuits hands, they ſoon perverted him, and made him embrace the Roman Catholick Religion […]

   1690, “The Preface to the Reader”, in A Full and True Relation of the Great and Wonderful Revolution That Hapned Lately in the Kingdom of Siam in the East-Indies, London: Randal Taylor, page vi

   A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: "We can confirm that a 15-year-old boy has been arrested and charged in connection with the murder of Jodi Jones. A 45-year-old has also been arrested in connection with allegations of attempting to pervert the course of justice. A report on this has been sent to the procurator fiscal."

   2004 April 15, “Morning swoop in hunt for Jodi's killer”, in The Scotsman

   Synonyms: corrupt, lead astray, seduce

3. To misapply, misuse, use for a nefarious purpose

   He has perverted his talents to dishonest gain.

   Synonyms: misapply, misuse

4. to misinterpret designedly.

   pervert one's words

   Synonyms: bias, distort, skew, twist

5. intransitiveTo become perverted; to take the wrong course.

   After that worde, "better is it to dey than lyve false," and al wolde perverted people false reporte make

   c. 1384, Thomas Usk, The Testament of Love