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Perfect-, Perfeccio(u)n(e, n. Also: perfict- and -youne. [ME. and e.m.E. perfectiun (Ancr. R.), -feccioun (c 1315), -fection (Caxton), OF. perfection (12th c.), L. perfectio, n. of action f. perficere v. (see Perfect a.).] Perfection.

1. Bringing to completion, consummating, fulfilling; the fact of being completed or perfected, complete accomplishment. 1547 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) I. 17.
Ony of hir realme that mynd the perfectioun of this peax and conjunctioun in mariage 1568 Buch. Indict. 34.
To ateine to the perfectioun of hir intentit purpois 1601 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs II. 123.
The few number of strangeris alreddy cumit hame quha ar bot ane company nocht able to mak ane perfectioun in the wark 1609 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I. 203.
That the perfectioune thairof [sc. the church service] sould be minted to

2. Maturity in growth or in age; the age of legal competence or of one's majority.(1) c1420 Ratis Raving 1156.
Quhen thretty ȝer ar passit by Than cum thai to perfeccione Baith resone and discreccione c1420 Ib. 1443.
And tyme is cummyne of al resone Suld be of ful perfeccione 1490 Irland Mir. I. 130/9.
In a faire … figure of a ȝonge man for that state and age betakynnis nouelte with perfeccioune and his message signified Him that was new in humanite and perfit in diuinite 1570 Inverness Rec. I. 190.
[That he] sall scot and lot [etc.] … conforme to oderis nychtbouris … to his perfectioun 1580 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I. 122. 1600 House Gordon II. 171.
[His first wife] bare him six sones and fyve daughters that came to perfection 1604 Paterson Ayr & Wigton II. 561.
To … sustein the other two whill the time of their perfections 1653 Boyd Fam. P. No. 207 (17 Aug.).
To the saids dawghters … leivand and cum to perfectioune(2) 1493 Acts II. 236/1.
Persounis … may at thair perfectioun of age mak reuocatioun … of thingis done preiudiciall to thame in thair minoriteis 1531 Bell. Boece I. 65.
Quhil he war of more perfectioun and aige 1578–9 Reg. Privy C. III. 113.
Seing his majestie dalie growand … to the gretar perfectioun of aig 1585 James VI Ess. 54.
Quhat I speik of poesie now I speik of it as being come to mannis age and perfectioun quhair as then it was bot in the infancie and chyldheid(3) 1533 Boece ii. i. 58 b.
The tyme thai cum to ȝeris of perfeccioun 1672 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct.) 5 July.
Give the chyld shall … live and com to yeirs of perfection(4) 1580 Edinburgh Testaments VIII. 136.
To my bastard las quhen scho cumms to perfectioun of fyftene ȝeir auld 1653 Boyd Fam. P. No. 207 (17 Aug.).
At ther said perfectioune of fortein yeirs compleit(5) 1563 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. 6 Nov.
Quhen thai ar of perfectioun to vse the samin

3. The quality of being perfect or without fault or defect in some respect; supreme excellence; also, (comparative) excellence. c1420 Ratis Raving 1600.
Eftir as the caus ware Forsen with His [God's] perfeccioune c1420 Ib. iiii. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 109/14.
And in thi saw war fundin falsite litile perfeccioune ware in thi diete 1490 Ib. 157/16.
He had … all wertu jn the hiest gre of perfeccioune 1490 Ib. II. 84/25.
Be this he [sc. man] ascendis in perfeccioun aboue all beistis 1490 Ib. 120/1.
We se that euirilk natur of thing cummys to the fyn and perfeccioun that it is ordand for 1490 Ib. I. 16/19; 1490 Ib. 68/21. a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 183.
The metire and the cuning … So fere discording frome perfeccioune a1538 Abell 41 b.
The kinrik … he restorit it in perfectioun 1560 Confession of Faith in Acts II. 530/1.
We ar neuer habill to fulfill the warkis of the law in perfectioun 1560 Buke of Discipline 196.
The most apt men that distinctlie can read … the scripturis to exercise boyth thame selfis and the kirk till thai growe to greatar perfectioun 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 402.
Quhen ane pure man … hes laubourit … on ane lytill peice of ground and brocht it to sum point and perfectioun [etc.] 1580 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxx.
His erroneous doctrine agaynst … the perfection of the lawe, the office of Christ [etc.] 1583 Melvill 158. 1601 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs II. 123.
The wark of the making of the claithe … and bringing the samyn to soume perfectioun 1611 Mure Early Misc. P. ii. 12.
Greedie to behold So rair perfectioune

b. Moral or spiritual excellence, supreme righteousness or holiness. a1400 Legends of the Saints xviii. 1224.
Cryste … That be this woman has me schavit … With mesoure of perfeccione [etc.] c1420 Ratis Raving 1457.
Suppos thai be declynand down And fautis of perfeccioune c1420 Ib. 1629. 1456 Hay II. 83/31.
That is a takyn that that king is full of vertu of justice and grete bountee and cumys of hye perfectioun and of wisdome 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 233 a.
And ore the persoune be in the state of perfeccioune a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 949 (Harl.).
The grownd and hicht of verray perfectioun … ar fundin in Cristis passioun c1500 Fyve Bestes 55.
That ioyfull place … of perfectioun richt a1538 Abell 71 a.
In doyng of pennance & werkis of perfectioune 1551 Hamilton Catechism 19.
Matrimonye was degenerat fra the first perfectioun a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 128/26.
Efter the resurreccione ve salbe lik onto the angellis in spirituall qualiteis and perfeccion as hes the angellis in hevin 1581 Burne Disput. 20 b.
Is it not blasphemie to say that Christis passion … inlaikis perfection?

c. Excellence in ability, knowledge, skill or accomplishment. c1420 Wynt. i. Prol. 114.
Reqwyrande the correctioune Off grettare of perfectyoune c1420 Ratis Raving 1358.
That sciens and perfeccione May fordo disposisioune c1420 Ib. 1650.
For eild suld haf perfeccioune To … mak diuisione Be-twen trespas and gudlynes 1456 Hay II. 107/1.
To prouffit in sciencis and to cum to perfectioun of clergy 1456 Ib. 108/19.
And sa tocum to gude perfectioun of science to governe thy dedis in tyme tocum as efferis 1490 Irland Mir. I. 12/9.
[Wisdom] is a nobile thing … bot neuir ane come to the perfeccioune thar of 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3855.
Thair chancellar chosen of ane famous clark Ane cunning man of great perfectioun c1552 Id. Mon. 3209.
One man of perfectioun

d. Relative fineness or purity of precious metal. 1636 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 106.
And the fynnes of gold [is calculated] to xxiv carattis in perfectioun. According to that quhilk is allayit or mixt so dois the perfictioun decrese

4. The highest pitch or supreme manifestation (of a quality, faculty, condition).(1) c1420 Ratis Raving 1414.
Than ringis the perfeccioune Of resone and discreccioune c1420 Ib. 1679.
[In old age] falȝeis al perfeccioune Of wyt and strenth of hyd & hew c1420 Ib. 1723. c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 40/14.
For cherite is forme and perfectioun of all werteu a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 1377 (Harl.).
Thar is perfectioun and flour of all farenes a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS cxiii. 7.
In Godis buke Quhair may be fund The perfectioun of religioun a1578 Pitsc. I. 352/24.
Quhene he had brocht the wyld hieland … to this stabilietie and perfectioun of peace and rest he [etc.](2) 1490 Irland Mir. I. 158/8.
Of ilk ane of thire [states] blist Jhesus … has tane the perfeccioun

5. As a countable noun: An excellence, a quality or endowment of a high order. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 163/34.
All thire perfecciounis are includit in this haly name Jhesus 1490 Ib. II. 84/18.
The man has noble giftis of natur aboue all vthir creaturis erdlie for attour the perfecciouns of all … creaturis … God has gevin to the man the spirituale natur of the saule c1490 Id. Asl. MS. I. 52/11.
The gracis beneficis & perfectionis that God gevis thé 1513 Doug. Conscience 2.
Prelatis wer chosin of all perfectioun 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 16.
This my translacioun … nakit of perfeccioun and rethory 1629 Mure Sonnets ix. 2.
In bewty … ravischt sight Doth some peculiar perfectioun pryse

6. ‘Perfection’ in music: see Perfit(e a. 7. c1550-c1580 Art of Music 20 b.
Ane pwnt … of perfection … makkis the long perfyt in muid the breif perfyt in tym [etc.]