pervious

Adjective

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
   • If looking up to God, or dovvne to us, / Thou finde that any vvay is pervious, / Tvvixt heav'n and earth, […] - a. 1631 (date written), J[ohn] Donne, “Obsequies to the Lord Harringtons Brother. To the Countesse of...

   Synonyms: penetrable permeable perviable porous

   Antonyms: impervious impenetrable impermeable unpervious

2. 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...

   Synonyms: perspicuous transparent

   Antonyms: impervious unpervious

3. 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...
   • 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]...

   Synonyms: perspicuous transparent

   Antonyms: impervious unpervious

4. Of a person, etc.: susceptible to being influenced by arguments, ideas, etc.; impressionable, tractable.
5. 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. -...
   • 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...
   • He walk'd with God, and like the breath of prayer, / His earthly substance melted all away: / So much he loved the Lord, his mortal clay / Abolish'd quite, or blent with pervious air, / Soft as a rainbow, mix'd with...

   Synonyms: pervading

6. 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...