Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Purl

Purl

,
Verb.
T.
[Contr. fr.
purfile
,
purfle
. See
Purfle
.]
To decorate with fringe or embroidery.
“Nature’s cradle more enchased and purled.”
B. Jonson.

Purl

,
Noun.
1.
An embroidered and puckered border; a hem or fringe, often of gold or silver twist; also, a pleat or fold, as of a band.
A triumphant chariot made of carnation velvet, enriched with
purl
and pearl.
Sir P. Sidney.
2.
An inversion of stitches in knitting, which gives to the work a ribbed or waved appearance.
Purl stitch
.
Same as
Purl
,
Noun.
, 2.

Purl

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Purled
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Purling
.]
[Cf. Sw.
porla
, and E.
pur
to murmur as a cat.]
1.
To run swiftly round, as a small stream flowing among stones or other obstructions; to eddy; also, to make a murmuring sound, as water does in running over or through obstructions.
Swift o'er the rolling pebbles, down the hills,
Louder and louder
purl
the falling rills.
Pope.
2.
[Perh. fr. F.
perler
to pearl, to bead. See
Pearl
,
Verb.
&
Noun.
]
To rise in circles, ripples, or undulations; to curl; to mantle.
thin winding breath which
purled
up to the sky.
Shakespeare

Purl

,
Noun.
[See 3d
Purl
.]
1.
A circle made by the notion of a fluid; an eddy; a ripple.
Whose stream an easy breath doth seem to blow,
Which on the sparkling gravel runs in
purles
,
As though the waves had been of silver curls.
Drayton.
2.
A gentle murmur, as that produced by the running of a liquid among obstructions;
as, the
purl
of a brook
.
3.
[Perh. from F.
perler
, v. See
Purl
to mantle.]
Malt liquor, medicated or spiced; formerly, ale or beer in which wormwood or other bitter herbs had been infused, and which was regarded as tonic; at present, hot beer mixed with gin, sugar, and spices.
“Drank a glass of purl to recover appetite.”
Addison.
“Drinking hot purl, and smoking pipes.”
Dickens.
4.
(Zool.)
A tern.
[Prov. Eng.]

Webster 1828 Edition


Purl

PURL

,
Noun.
[supposed to be contracted from purfle.]
1.
An embroidered and puckered border.
2.
A kind of edging for bone-lace.

PURL

,
Noun.
A species of malt liquor; ale or beer medicated with wormwood or aromatic herbs.

PURL

,
Noun.
Two rounds in knitting.

PURL

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To murmur, as a small stream flowing among stones or other obstructions, which occasion a continued series of broken sounds. It is applied only to small streams. Large streams running in like manner, are said to roar. In descriptions of rural scenery, the poets seldom omit a purling brook or stream.
My flowery theme,
A painted mistress or a purling stream.
2.
To flow or run with a murmuring sound.
Around th' adjoining brook that purls along
The vocal grove, now fretting o'er a rock.

PURL

,
Verb.
T.
To decorate with fringe or embroidery.

PURL

,
Noun.
A gentle continued murmur of a small stream of rippling water.

Definition 2024


purl

purl

English

Noun

purl (plural purls)

  1. A particular stitch in knitting; an inversion of stitches giving the work a ribbed or waved appearance.
  2. The edge of lace trimmed with loops.
  3. An embroidered and puckered border; a hem or fringe, often of gold or silver twist; also, a pleat or fold, as of a band.
    • Sir Philip Sidney
      A triumphant chariot made of carnation velvet, enriched with purl and pearl.
Translations

Verb

purl (third-person singular simple present purls, present participle purling, simple past and past participle purled)

  1. To decorate with fringe or embroidered edge
    Needlework purled with gold.
  2. (knitting) an inverted stitch producing ribbing etc
    Knit one, purl two.

Etymology 2

from Middle English pirle (whirligig), Middle Italian pirla (whipping top)

Noun

purl (plural purls)

  1. a heavy or headlong fall; an upset.

Verb

purl (third-person singular simple present purls, present participle purling, simple past and past participle purled)

  1. (archaic) To upset, to spin, capsize, fall heavily, fall headlong.
    The huntsman was purled from his horse.
Related terms

Etymology 3

From Old Norse purla (to babble)

Verb

purl (third-person singular simple present purls, present participle purling, simple past and past participle purled)

  1. (intransitive) To flow with a murmuring sound in swirls and eddies.
    • Alexander Pope
      Swift o'er the rolling pebbles, down the hills, / Louder and louder purl the falling rills.
  2. To rise in circles, ripples, or undulations; to curl; to mantle.
    • Shakespeare
      thin winding breath which purled up to the sky

Noun

purl (plural purls)

  1. (Britain, dialect) A circle made by the motion of a fluid; an eddy; a ripple.
    • Drayton
      Whose stream an easy breath doth seem to blow, / Which on the sparkling gravel runs in purles, / As though the waves had been of silver curls.
  2. (Britain, dialect) A gentle murmuring sound, such as that produced by the running of a liquid among obstructions.
    the purl of a brook

Translations

Etymology 4

Possibly from the pearl-like appearance caused by bubbles on the surface of the liquid.

Noun

purl (uncountable)

  1. (archaic) Ale or beer spiced with wormwood or other bitter herbs, regarded as a tonic.
    • The Spectator, number 88
      A double mug of purle.
  2. (archaic) Hot beer mixed with gin, sugar, and spices.
    • Addison
      Drank a glass of purl to recover appetite.
    • Charles Dickens
      Drinking hot purl, and smoking pipes.

Etymology 5

Noun

purl (plural purls)

  1. (Britain, dialect) A tern.

Anagrams