Peril, n.
Etymology: [F. péril, fr. L. periculum, periclum, akin to peritus experienced, skilled, and E. fare. See Fare, and cf. Experience.]
Danger; risk; hazard; jeopardy; exposure of person or property to injury, loss, or destruction. In perils of waters, in perils of robbers. 2 Cor. xi. 26. Adventure hard With peril great achieved. Milton. At, or On, one's peril, with risk or danger to one; at the hazard of. "On thy soul's peril." Shak.
Syn. -- Hazard; risk; jeopardy. See Danger.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Peril, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Periled or Perilled; p. pr. & vb. n. Periling or Perilling.]
To expose to danger; to hazard; to risk; as, to peril one's life.
Peril, v. i.
To be in danger. [Obs.] Milton.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for peril; he lists it under danger, hazard.
Where he writes about it:
Danger is exposure to possible evil, which may be either near and probable or remote and doubtful; peril is exposure to imminent and sharply threatening evil, especially to such as results from violence. — from danger
An invalid may be in danger of consumption; a disarmed soldier is in peril of death. — from danger
Jeopardy is nearly the same as peril, but involves, like risk, more of the element of chance or uncertainty; a man tried upon a capital charge is said to be put in jeopardy of life. — from danger