Pearl

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive), Verb (intransitive), Adjective

CIDE DICTIONARY

Pearl, n. 

 A fringe or border.  [1913 Webster]

Pearl stitch. See Purl stitch, under Purl.

Pearl, n. [OE. perle, F. perle, LL. perla, perula, probably fr. (assumed) L. pirulo, dim. of L. pirum a pear. See Pear, and cf. Purl to mantle.].

•  A shelly concretion, usually rounded, and having a brilliant luster, with varying tints, found in the mantle, or between the mantle and shell, of certain bivalve mollusks, especially in the pearl oysters and river mussels, and sometimes in certain univalves. It is usually due to a secretion of shelly substance around some irritating foreign particle. Its substance is the same as nacre, or mother-of-pearl.

  "Pearls which are round, or nearly round, and of fine luster, are highly esteemed as jewels, and at one time compared in value with the precious stones. Since development of cultured pearls, the relative value has diminished somewhat, though the best pearls are still expensive, and natural pearls even more so. Artificial pearls may be made of various materials, including material similar to that of natural pearls; these are less expensive than natural or cultured pearls. See cultured pearl, below."  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, figuratively, something resembling a pearl; something very precious.  [1913 Webster]

  "I see thee compassed with thy kingdom's pearl."  [1913 Webster]

  "And those pearls of dew she wears."  [1913 Webster]
•  Nacre, or mother-of-pearl.  [1913 Webster]
•  A fish allied to the turbot; the brill.  [1913 Webster]
•  A light-colored tern.  [1913 Webster]
•  One of the circle of tubercles which form the bur on a deer's antler.  [1913 Webster]
•  A whitish speck or film on the eye.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]
•  A capsule of gelatin or similar substance containing some liquid for medicinal application, as ether.  [1913 Webster]
•  A size of type, between agate and diamond.  [1913 Webster]

Ground pearl. (Zoöl.) See under Ground. -- Pearl barley, kernels of barley, ground so as to form small, round grains. -- Pearl diver, one who dives for pearl oysters. -- Pearl edge, an edge of small loops on the side of some kinds of ribbon; also, a narrow kind of thread edging to be sewed on lace. -- Pearl eye, cataract. [R.] -- Pearl gray, a very pale and delicate blue-gray color. -- Pearl millet, Egyptian millet (Penicillaria spicata). -- Pearl moss. See Carrageen. -- Pearl moth (Zoöl.), any moth of the genus Margaritia; -- so called on account of its pearly color. -- Pearl oyster (Zoöl.), any one of several species of large tropical marine bivalve mollusks of the genus Meleagrina, or Margaritifera, found in the East Indies (especially at Ceylon), in the Persian Gulf, on the coast of Australia, and on the Pacific coast of America. Called also pearl shell, and pearl mussel. -- Pearl powder. See Pearl white, below. -- Pearl sago, sago in the form of small pearly grains. -- Pearl sinter (Min.), fiorite. -- Pearl spar (Min.), a crystallized variety of dolomite, having a pearly luster. -- Pearl white. (a) Basic bismuth nitrate, or bismuth subchloride; -- used chiefly as a cosmetic. (b) A variety of white lead blued with indigo or Berlin blue. -- cultured pearl, a pearl grown by a pearl oyster into which a round pellet has been placed, to serve as the seed for more predictable growth of the pearl. The pellet is usually made from mother-of-pearl, and additional layers of nacre are deposited onto the seed by the oyster. Such pearls, being more easily obtained than natural pearls from wild oysters, are less expensive.

Pearl, a. 

 Of or pertaining to pearl or pearls; made of pearls, or of mother-of-pearl.  [1913 Webster]

Pearl, v. t. 

•  To set or adorn with pearls, or with mother-of-pearl. Used also figuratively.  [1913 Webster]
•  To cause to resemble pearls; to make into small round grains; as, to pearl barley.  [1913 Webster]

Pearl, v. i. 

•  To resemble pearl or pearls.  [1913 Webster]
•  To dive or hunt for pearls; as, to go pearling.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Pearl, n. & v.
--n.
1 a (often attrib.) a usu. white or bluish-grey hard mass formed within the shell of a pearl-oyster or other bivalve mollusc, highly prized as a gem for its lustre (pearl necklace). b an imitation of this. c (in pl.) a necklace of pearls. d = mother-of-pearl (cf. seed-pearl).
2 a precious thing; the finest example.
3 anything resembling a pearl, e.g. a dewdrop, tear, etc.
--v.
1 tr. poet. a sprinkle with pearly drops. b make pearly in colour etc.
2 tr. reduce (barley etc.) to small rounded grains.
3 intr. fish for pearl-oysters.
4 intr. poet. form pearl-like drops.

Idiom

cast pearls before swine offer a treasure to a person unable to appreciate it. pearl ash commercial potassium carbonate. pearl barley barley reduced to small round grains by grinding. pearl bulb a translucent electric light bulb. pearl button a button made of mother-of-pearl or an imitation of it. pearl-diver a person who dives for pearl-oysters. pearl millet a tall cereal, Pennisetum typhoides. pearl onion a very small onion used in pickles. pearl-oyster any of various marine bivalve molluscs of the genus Pinctada, bearing pearls.

Derivative

pearler n.

Pearl, n. Brit. = PICOT.

Etymology

var. of PURL(1)

THESAURUS

Pearl

Quaker-colored, acceptable person, acier, alabaster, alabastrine, albescent, ashen, ashy, bead, boast, canescent, capital fellow, catch, chalk, cinereous, cinerous, cream, creamy, dapple, dapple-gray, dappled, dappled-gray, dewdrop, diamond, dingy, dismal, dove-colored, dove-gray, dreary, driven snow, drop, droplet, dull, dun-white, dusty, eggshell, fair, find, fleece, flour, flower, foam, gem, gentleman, glaucescent, glaucous, godsend, good fellow, good lot, good man, good person, good sort, good thing, good woman, gray, gray-black, gray-brown, gray-colored, gray-drab, gray-green, gray-spotted, gray-toned, gray-white, grayed, grayish, griseous, grizzle, grizzled, grizzly, honest man, iron-gray, ivory, ivory-white, jewel, lady, lead-gray, leaden, light, lily, lint-white, livid, maggot, mensch, milk, mouse-colored, mouse-gray, mousy, nonpareil, off-white, pale, paper, pearl-gray, pearly, pearly-white, perfect gentleman, perfect lady, persona grata, plum, pride, pride and joy, prince, prize, raindrop, real man, right sort, rough diamond, sad, sheet, silver, silver-gray, silvered, silvery, slate-colored, slaty, smoke-gray, smoky, snow, sober, somber, steel-gray, steely, stone-colored, swan, taupe, teardrop, treasure, trophy, trouvaille, whitish, whity, windfall, winner, wonder, worthy

ROGET THESAURUS

Pearl

Goodness

N goodness, excellence, merit, virtue, value, worth, price, super-excellence, supereminence, superiority, perfection, coup de maitre, masterpiece, chef d'ouvre, prime, flower, cream, elite, pick, A, nonesuch, nonpareil, creme de la creme, flower of the flock, cock of the roost, salt of the earth, champion, prodigy, tidbit, gem, gem of the first water, bijou, precious stone, jewel, pearl, diamond, ruby, brilliant, treasure, good thing, rara avis, one in a thousand, beneficence, good man, harmless, hurtless, unobnoxious, innocuous, innocent, inoffensive, beneficial, valuable, of value, serviceable, advantageous, edifying, profitable, salutary, favorable, propitious fair, good, good as gold, excellent, better, superior, above par, nice, fine, genuine, best, choice, select, picked, elect, recherche, rare, priceless, unparagoned, unparalleled, superlatively, good, bully, crackajack, giltedged, superfine, superexcellent, of the first water, first-rate, first-class, high- wrought, exquisite, very best, crack, prime, tiptop, capital, cardinal, standard, inimitable, admirable, estimable, praiseworthy, pleasing, couleur de rose, precious, of great price, costly, worth its weight in gold, worth a Jew's eye, priceless, invaluable, inestimable, precious as the apple of the eye, tolerable, up to the mark, unexceptionable, unobjectionable, satisfactory, tidy, in good condition, in fair condition, fresh, sound, beneficially, well, Jewels five words long, long may such goodness live!, the luxury of doing good.

Jewelry

N jewel, jewelry, jewellery, bijoutry, bijou, bijouterie, trinket, fine jewelry, costume jewelry, junk jewelry, gem, gemstone, precious stone, necklace, bracelet, anklet, earring, locket, pendant, charm bracelet, ring, pinky ring, carcanet, chain, chatelaine, broach, pin, lapel pin, torque, diamond, brilliant, rock, beryl, emerald, chalcedony, agate, heliotrope, girasol, girasole, onyx, plasma, sard, sardonyx, garnet, lapis lazuli, opal, peridot, tourmaline, chrysolite, sapphire, ruby, synthetic ruby, spinel, spinelle, balais, oriental, oriental topaz, turquois, turquoise, zircon, cubic zirconia, jacinth, hyacinth, carbuncle, amethyst, alexandrite, cat's eye, bloodstone, hematite, jasper, moonstone, sunstone, pearl, cultured pearl, fresh-water pearl, mother of pearl, coral, jeweler, gemologist, minerologist, lapidary, lapidarian, gemology, gemmology, minerology, bejeweled, diamond, (gemstones), gemological.

Repute

N repute, distinction, mark, name, figure, repute, reputation, good repute, high repute, note, notability, notoriety, eclat, the bubble reputation, vogue, celebrity, fame, famousness, renown, popularity, aura popularis, approbation, credit, succes d'estime, prestige, talk of the town, name to conjure with, glory, honor, luster, illustriousness, account, regard, respect, reputableness, respectability, good name, good report, fair name, dignity, stateliness, solemnity, grandeur, splendor, nobility, majesty, sublimity, rank, standing, brevet rank, precedence, pas, station, place, status, position, position in society, order, degree, baccalaureate, locus standi, caste, condition, greatness, eminence, height, importance, preeminence, supereminence, high mightiness, primacy, top of the ladder, top of the tree, elevation, ascent, superaltation, exaltation, dignification, aggrandizement, dedication, consecration, enthronement, canonization, celebration, enshrinement, glorification, hero, man of mark, great card, celebrity, worthy, lion, rara avis, notability, somebody, classman, man of rank, pillar of the state, pillar of the church, pillar of the community, chief, first fiddle, cynosure, mirror, flower, pink, pearl, paragon, choice and master spirits of the age, elite, star, sun, constellation, galaxy, ornament, honor, feather in one's cap, halo, aureole, nimbus, halo of glory, blaze of glory, blushing honors, laurels, memory, posthumous fame, niche in the temple of fame, immortality, immortal name, magni nominis umbra, distinguished, distingue, noted, of note, honored, popular, fashionable, in good odor in, favor, in high favor, reputable, respectable, creditable, remarkable, notable, notorious, celebrated, renowned, ion every one's mouth, talked of, famous, famed, far-famed, conspicuous, to the front, foremost, in the front rank, in the ascendant, imperishable, deathless, immortal, never fading, aere perennius, time honored, illustrious, glorious, splendid, brilliant, radiant, bright, full-blown, honorific, eminent, prominent, high, in the zenith, at the head of, at the top of the tree, peerless, of the first water, superior, supereminent, preeminent, great, dignified, proud, noble, honorable, worshipful, lordly, grand, stately, august, princely, imposing, solemn, transcendent, majestic, sacred, sublime, heaven- born, heroic, sans peur et sans reproche, sacrosanct, Int, hail!, all hail!, ave!, viva!, vive!, long life to!, banzai!, glory be to, honor be to?, one's name being in every mouth, one's name living for ever, sic itur ad astra, fama volat, aut Caesar aut nullus, not to know him argues oneself unknown, none but himself could be his parallel, palmam qui meruit ferat, above all Greek above all Roman fame, cineri gloria sera est, great is the glory for the strife is hard, honor virtutis praemium, immensum gloria calcar habet, the glory dies not and the grief is past, vivit post funera virtus.