Word of the Week Lesson #33 – PERPETUAL
SAW Publishing’s Word of the Week (WOW) program is a vocabulary supplement built around hymns and Bible verses. Each lesson contains a Webster’s 1828 Dictionary definition, Scripture reference, and examples that encourage students to use new vocabulary in daily life. To find out more about the program, see our post entitled Boost Your Student’s Vocabulary with our FREE Word of the Week. To receive the FREE Word of the Week lesson the Monday before it is posted, sign up for the WOW email below.
*Please note that this lesson was used as the sample lesson at the beginning of our course. It has been modified from the original, and contains a new image.
Word of the Week Lesson #33
**Click here for a downloadable PDF of the full lesson.
perpetual
Short Definition
Abridged from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
PERPET’UAL, adjective
everlasting; endless
Webster’s 1828 Full Definition
PERPET’UAL, adjective
[Fr. perpetuel; L. perpetuus, from perpes, perpetis; per and pes, from a root signifying to pass.]
1. Never ceasing; continuing forever in future time; destined to be eternal; as a perpetual covenant; a perpetual statute.
[Literally true with respect to the decrees of the Supreme Being.]
2. Continuing or continued without intermission; uninterrupted; as a perpetual stream; the perpetual action of the heart and arteries.
3. Permanent; fixed; not temporary; as a perpetual law or edict; perpetual love or amity; perpetual incense. Exodus 30:8
4. Everlasting; endless.
Destructions are come to a perpetual end. Psalm 9:6
All definitions are taken from the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary from Archive.org Volume 1 and Volume 2 and can also be found on Webster’s 1828 Dictionary online
Memory Verse
“And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.” ~ Genesis 9:12-13
All scripture references are taken from the King James Bible
Hymn
“Far as creation’s bounds extend,
Thy mercies, heavenly Lord, descend;
One chorus of perpetual praise
To Thee thy various works shall raise,
Thy saints to Thee in hymns impart
The transports of a grateful heart.”
– James Merrick (1720–1769), Far as Creation’s Bounds Extend
All hymn texts are taken from Cyber Hymnal
Examples From Daily Life
“Look, Dad! You can see the moon, even though it’s daytime.” Robyn pointed up at a faint white outline. “I thought the moon was only in the sky at night.”
“The moon orbits the earth,” Mr. Gravesend explained, as they walked along the beach. “At times the moon may be on the opposite side of our globe, or in some other position where it can’t reflect the sun’s rays to us. At other times during the day, the sun is so bright that we can’t see the paler beams of the moon. But the moon’s cycle is perpetual. Sooner or later we see it again. On some days, like this one, you don’t even have to wait for it to get dark.”
“I see something else that is perpetual,” said Philip, pointing across the harbour. “That windmill never stops, either. Its arms go round and round in a perpetual circle!”
“I am always losing my socks,” Robyn remarked mischievously. “It seems as if my search for them is perpetual, too!”
Printable Image with Short Definition and Memory Verse
Bonus Activity
The word perpetual means endless, but there are several different ways in which it can be used. When we say that God’s love is perpetual, we mean that it will never end—it will last through all eternity. This is the meaning of perpetual given in Webster’s Definition 1. On the other hand, when we say that a windmill is perpetual, we mean that it keeps moving without a pause. We do not mean that it will continue eternally. The second meaning of perpetual is seen in Webster’s Definition 2.
Beside each of the words below, write either eternal or continual to show whether they will last forever, or only for a time.
Water going over a waterfall
Heaven
The moon orbiting the earth
The wheels on a car
Our souls
God’s Word (see Matthew 24:35 and Isaiah 40:8 if you have difficulty)
The four seasons
Robyn looking for her socks
The answer will appear at the bottom of next week’s WOW lesson.
Answer To Last Week’s Bonus Activity
Rebekah – proper noun
raiment – common noun
son – common noun
Esau – proper noun
house – common noun
Jacob – proper noun
son – common noun
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