The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Perpetrate \Per"pe*trate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Perpetrated; p.
   pr. & vb. n. Perpetrating.] [L. perpetratus, p. p. of
   perpetrare to effect, perpetrare; per + patrare to perform.]
   To do or perform; to carry through; to execute, commonly in a
   bad sense; to commit (as a crime, an offense); to be guilty
   of; as, to perpetrate a foul deed.
   [1913 Webster]

         What the worst perpetrate, or best endure. --Young.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

perpetrate
    v 1: perform an act, usually with a negative connotation;
         "perpetrate a crime"; "pull a bank robbery" [syn:
         perpetrate, commit, pull]