Abarim Publications' online Biblical Hebrew Dictionary
פרץ
Scholars identify two different roots פרץ (paras) in the Bible, but their meanings seem to overlap.
Also note the similarity with the roots פרש (paras and parash), meaning to spread out or declare, פרס (paras), meaning to break in two or divide, and פרר (parar), meaning to break, split or divide.
פרץ I
The root פרץ (paras I) generally means to break. It may denote a breaking out of some enclosure (Micah 2:13) or even the womb (Genesis 38:29), or the making of a breach (2 Kings 14:13), or a breaking in pieces (2 Chronicles 20:37). This verb is also used to indicate the breaking of stubbornness of people (Psalm 60:1). This verb may also be used to indicate a quantitative progression; a sudden increase in numbers, such as that of produce (Proverbs 3:10) or progeny (Genesis 28:14). And secondarily, it may denote a gaining of fame, apparently quite similarly to our English "breaking through" (2 Chronicles 31:5, 1 Samuel 3:1).
This verb's derivatives are:
- The masculine noun פרץ (peres), meaning a breach or bursting forth, like that of water (2 Samuel 5:20), or a breach in a wall (Amos 4:3), or even the outbreak of YHWH's wrath (2 Samuel 6:8).
- The masculine noun פריץ (paris), meaning violent one, like a robber or murderer, either human or animal (Ezekiel 18:10, Isaiah 35:9).
פרץ II
The root פרץ (paras II) doesn't occur as verb in the Bible, but in other languages it exists with meanings such as to mark by making a notch. Cognate nouns may denote the mouth of a river or a gap by which boats dock, which reveals an obvious kinship with the previous root.
In the Bible only the masculine noun מפרץ (mipras) occurs, in Judges 5:17 only, where it denotes a dock; a landing place for ships.