What is "perch"

Rod \Rod\, n. [The same word as rood. See Rood.]

1. A straight and slender stick; a wand; hence, any slender bar, as of wood or metal (applied to various purposes). Specifically:

   1. An instrument of punishment or correction; figuratively, chastisement.

      He that spareth his rod hateth his son.
      --Prov. xiii. 24.

   2. A kind of sceptor, or badge of office; hence, figuratively, power; authority; tyranny; oppression. ``The rod, and bird of peace.''
      --Shak.

   3. A support for a fishing line; a fish pole.
      --Gay.

   4. (Mach. & Structure) A member used in tension, as for sustaining a suspended weight, or in tension and compression, as for transmitting reciprocating motion, etc.; a connecting bar.

   5. An instrument for measuring.

2. A measure of length containing sixteen and a half feet; -- called also perch, and pole.

   Black rod. See in the Vocabulary.

   Rods and cones (Anat.), the elongated cells or elements of the sensory layer of the retina, some of which are cylindrical, others somewhat conical.

Sprat \Sprat\ (spr[a^]t), n. [OE. sprot, sprotte, D. sprot; akin to G. sprotte.] (Zo["o]l.)

1. A small European herring ( Clupea sprattus) closely allied to the common herring and the pilchard; -- called also garvie. The name is also applied to small herring of different kinds.

2. A California surf-fish ( Rhacochilus toxotes); -- called also alfione, and perch. Sprat borer (Zo["o]l.), the red-throated diver; -- so called from its fondness for sprats. See Diver. Sprat loon. (Zo["o]l.)

   1. The young of the great northern diver. [Prov. Eng.]

   2. The red-throated diver. See Diver.

      Sprat mew (Zo["o]l.), the kittiwake gull.

"where a bird rests," late 13c., originally only "a pole, rod, stick, stake," from Old French perche "unit of linear measurement" (5.5 yards), also "measuring rod, pole, bar" used to measure this length (13c.), from Latin pertica "pole, long staff, measuring rod," related to Oscan perek "pole," Umbrian perkaf "twigs, rods." Meaning "a bar fixed horizontally for a hawk or tame bird to rest on" is attested from late 14c.; this led to general sense of "any thing that any bird alights or rests on" (late 15c.). Figurative sense of "an elevated or secure position" is recorded from 1520s. The "land-measuring rod" sense also was in Middle English (c.1200), hence surviving meaning "measure of land equal to a square lineal perch" (usually 160 to the acre), mid-15c.

"spiny-finned freshwater fish," c.1300, from Old French perche, from Latin perca "perch," from Greek perke "a perch," from PIE root *perk- "speckled, spotted" (cognates: Sanskrit prsnih "speckled, variegated;" Greek perknos "dark-colored," perkazein "to become dark"), typically in names of animals.

"to roost," late 14c., from Old French perchier "to sit on a perch" (of a bird), from perche (n.) (see perch (n.1)). Related: Perched; perching.

Etymology 1 n. 1 Any of the three species of spiny-fin freshwater fish in the genus ''Perca''. 2 Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae. 3 Several similar species in the order Perciformes, such as the grouper. Etymology 2

n. 1 a rod, staff, or branch of a tree etc used as a roost by a bird 2 A pole connecting the fore gear and hind gear of a spring carriage; a reach. 3 a position that is secure and advantageous, especially one which is prominent or elevated 4 (context dated English) a linear measure of 5½ yards, equal to a rod, a pole or ¼ chain; the related square measure 5 a cubic measure of stonework equal to 16.6 × 1.5 × 1 feet 6 (context textiles English) a frame used to examine cloth vb. 1 (context intransitive English) To rest on (or as if on) a perch; to roost. 2 (context intransitive English) To stay in an elevated position. 3 (context transitive English) To place something on (or as if on) a perch.

1. n. support consisting of a branch or rod that serves as a resting place (especially for a bird)

2. a linear measure of 16.5 feet [syn: rod, pole]

3. a square rod of land [syn: rod, pole]

4. an elevated place serving as a seat

5. any of numerous fishes of America and Europe

6. spiny-finned freshwater food and game fishes

7. any of numerous spiny-finned fishes of various families of the order Perciformes

8. v. sit, as on a branch; "The birds perched high in the treee" [syn: roost, rest]

9. to come to rest, settle; "Misfortune lighted upon him" [syn: alight, light]

10. cause to perch or sit; "She perched her hat on her head"

The perch is an equilibristic balancing act where one performer balances atop a pole that is being balanced by another performer. Each perch pole has a loop at the top into which the performer may insert either a hand or a foot in order to perform a variety of tricks while hanging down from the loop. During the whole routine, the base at the bottom must balance the pole as the flier shifts their weight from one position to another, climbs up and down and balances at the top.

Perch may refer to:

• Perch (surname), a surname (and list of people with that name)
• Perch (unit), unit of measure for length, area, and volume
• Perch, the main shaft connecting the front and rear axles of a coach or other vehicle
• Perch SSSI a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset, England
• Perch (equilibristic), an equilibristic balancing act
• The Perch (Binsey), a historic pub in Binsey, Oxfordshire, England
• The Perch, a historic house in Austin, Texas, USA, part of Granger House and The Perch

Perch is a common name for fish of the genus Perca, freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which there are three species in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Perciformes, from the Greek perke, simply meaning perch, and the Latin forma meaning shape. Many species of freshwater gamefish more or less resemble perch, but belong to different genera. In fact, the exclusively saltwater dwelling red drum is often referred to as a red perch, though by definition perch are freshwater fish. Though many fish are referred to as perch as a common name, to be considered a true perch, the fish must be of the family Percidae.

The type species for this genus is the European perch, Perca fluviatilis.

Perch pronounced is a surname of great antiquity and considerable confusion as to its definitive origin.

Recorded as Pearch, Pearche, Perch, Perche, Porch and possibly others.

It was probably topographical or occupational, and as such would have described either somebody who possessed a perche of land, or who was a measurer of perches, a surveyor or land agent.

We understand that a perche was probably similar to a hide, different terms were used in different parts of the country, and described an area of land considered large enough to support a family. However it is also possible that the name described a fisherman, one who professionally caught the freshwater fish known as the perch.

Before the 14th century, large areas of England and particularly in East Anglia were permanently under water, and today's fens are what remains. There was in consequence a large inland fishing industry, that gradually died out over five hundred years.

Another possibility is that the name is associated with the early textile industry, a perche being a frame used for drying cloth, whilst it was also a term used in stage coaches, but this was probably too late to influence the origin of the name.

A coat of arms associated with the name has the blazon of a red field charged with a fesses between three crosses, all silver. It is unclear when the surname was first recorded but surviving church registers of the city of London include Hugh Perche who married Elizabeth Chamberlen at St Margaret's, Westminster on April 23rd 1559, and Margery Pearch who married Walter Hill at St Giles Cripplegate, on August 12th 1633.