pervious

Adjective

pervious (comparative more pervious, superlative most pervious)

1. Often followed by to: capable of being penetrated by another body or substance, such as air or water; admitting passage.
   • Near-synonym: porous
   • a pervious soil

   Synonyms:

   penetrable, permeable, perviable, porous

   Antonyms:

   impervious, impenetrable, impermeable, unpervious

2. (figuratively) Capable of being seen through; open to being examined; patent, unconcealed.
   • [I]n their [i.e., the Egyptians'] ceremonies they uſually made three acclamations to the unknovvn Darkneſs; that is, to God, vvhoſe ſecrets are pervious to no eye, vvhoſe dvvelling is in a light that is not to be diſcerned, vvhoſe myſteries are not to be underſtood by us, and vvhoſe Sacraments are...1660, Jeremy Taylor, “Of Faith, as It is a Necessary Disposition to the Blessed Sacrament. Sect[ion] V. Of the Proper and Specifick Work of Faith in the Reception of the Holy Communion. How Much...

   Synonyms:

   perspicuous, transparent

   Antonyms:

   impervious, unpervious

3. (figuratively) Capable of being penetrated mentally; intelligible, understandable.
   • […] Saint Auguſtine for ſharpe inſight, and concluſive judgement, in expoſition of places of Scripture, vvhich he alvvaies makes ſo liquid, and pervious, […] hath ſcarce been equalled therein, by any of the VVriters in the Church of God, […]1608 (date written), John Donne, “Distinction IV. Sect[ion] I.”, in ΒΙΑΘΑΝΑΤΟΣ [Biathanatos]. A Declaration of that Paradoxe, or Thesis, that Selfe-homicide is Not So Naturally Sinne, that It May...
   • From being ſpies, or to ſpies pervious, / From thirſt, or ſcorne of flame, deliver us.a. 1631 (date written), J[ohn] Donne, “The Litanie”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, →OCLC, stanza XVII, page 180

   Synonyms:

   perspicuous, transparent

   Antonyms:

   impervious, unpervious

4. (figuratively) Of a person, etc.: susceptible to being influenced by arguments, ideas, etc.; impressionable, tractable.
5. (obsolete) Capable of penetrating or permeating.
   • The bodies of the Saints, […] have an agility to move from place to place vvith ſpeed and ſubtility like light; to have their vvay free and pervious through all places, and can penetrate vvhereſoever they pleaſe.1672, [Juan Eusebio Nieremberg]; Jeremy Taylor, compiler, “The Excellency and Happiness of the Souls and Bodies of the Just in the Life Eternal”, in [Vivian Mullineaux], transl., Contemplations of...
   • VVhat is this little, agile, pervious Fire, / This flutt'ring Motion, vvhich VVe call the Mind? / Hovv does She act? and vvhere is She confin'd?1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World. A Poem in Three Books.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC, page 496

   Synonyms:

   pervading

6. (obsolete) Of a body structure (especially the nostril of a bird): having a hole, perforate; also, wide open.
   • The noſtrils are very large, and pervious: the vvhole plumage is duſky, daſhed vvith purple and green: legs of a dirty fleſh-color: clavvs black.1785, Thomas Pennant, “Class II. Birds. Div[ision] I. Land Birds. Order I. Rapacious. I. Vulture, Gen. Birds I.”, in Arctic Zoology, volume II, London: […] Henry Hughs, →OCLC, page 191