purl

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

CIDE DICTIONARY

purl, v. t. [Contr. fr. purfile, purfle. See Purfle.].

 To decorate with fringe or embroidery.  B. Jonson.  [1913 Webster]

purl, n. 

•  An embroidered and puckered border; a hem or fringe, often of gold or silver twist; also, a pleat or fold, as of a band.  [1913 Webster]

  "A triumphant chariot made of carnation velvet, enriched withpurl and pearl."  [1913 Webster]
•  An inversion of stitches in knitting, which gives to the work a ribbed or waved appearance.  [1913 Webster]

Purl stitch. Same as Purl, n., 2.

purl, v. i. [Cf. Sw. porla, and E. pur to murmur as a cat.].

•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "Swift o'er the rolling pebbles, down the hills,
  Louder and louder purl the falling rills."  [1913 Webster]
•  To rise in circles, ripples, or undulations; to curl; to mantle.  [1913 Webster]

  "thin winding breath which purled up to the sky."  [1913 Webster]

purl, n. [See 3d Purl.].

•  A circle made by the notion of a fluid; an eddy; a ripple.  [1913 Webster]

  "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."  [1913 Webster]
•  A gentle murmur, as that produced by the running of a liquid among obstructions; as, the purl of a brook.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  A tern.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

purl, n. & v.
--n.
1 a knitting stitch made by putting the needle through the front of the previous stitch and passing the yarn round the back of the needle.
2 a cord of twisted gold or silver wire for bordering.
3 a chain of minute loops; a picot.
4 the ornamental edges of lace, ribbon, etc.
--v.tr. (also absol.) knit with a purl stitch.

purl, v. & n.
--v.intr. (of a brook etc.) flow with a swirling motion and babbling sound.
--n. this motion or sound.

Etymology

16th c.: prob. imit.: cf. Norw. purla bubble up

THESAURUS

purl

adjoin, babble, befringe, bind, border, bound, bubble, burble, eddy, edge, enframe, frame, fringe, guggle, gurge, gurgle, gyrate, gyre, hem, lap, line, list, march, marge, margin, marginate, pirouette, plash, purfle, reel, rim, ripple, set off, side, skirt, slosh, spin, splash, swash, swirl, swish, trill, trim, twirl, verge, wash, whirl, whirligig, whirlpool, whorl

ROGET THESAURUS

purl

Food

N food, eating, deglutition, gulp, epulation, mastication, manducation, rumination, gluttony, hippophagy, ichthyophagy, (appetite), mouth, jaws, mandible, mazard, gob, chops, drinking, potation, draught, libation, carousal, drunkenness, food, pabulum, aliment, nourishment, nutriment, sustenance, sustentation, sustention, nurture, subsistence, provender, corn, feed, fodder, provision, ration, keep, commons, board, commissariat, prey, forage, pasture, pasturage, fare, cheer, diet, dietary, regimen, belly timber, staff of life, bread, bread and cheese, comestibles, eatables, victuals, edibles, ingesta, grub, grubstake, prog, meat, bread, bread stuffs, cerealia, cereals, viands, cates, delicacy, dainty, creature comforts, contents of the larder, fleshpots, festal board, ambrosia, good cheer, good living, beef, bisquit, bun, cornstarch, cookie, cooky, cracker, doughnut, fatling, hardtack, hoecake, hominy, mutton, pilot bread, pork, roti, rusk, ship biscuit, veal, joint, piece de resistance, roast and boiled, remove, entremet, releve, hash, rechauffe, stew, ragout, fricassee, mince, pottage, potage, broth, soup, consomme, puree, spoonmeat, pie, pasty, volauvent, pudding, omelet, pastry, sweets, kickshaws, condiment, appetizer, hors d'oeuvre, main course, entree, alligator pear, apple, apple slump, artichoke, ashcake, griddlecake, pancake, flapjack, atole, avocado, banana, beche de mer, barbecue, beefsteak, beet root, blackberry, blancmange, bloater, bouilli, bouillon, breadfruit, chop suey, chowder, chupatty, clam, compote, damper, fish, frumenty, grapes, hasty pudding, ice cream, lettuce, mango, mangosteen, mince pie, oatmeal, oyster, pineapple, porridge, porterhouse steak, salmis, sauerkraut, sea slug, sturgeon ("Albany beef"), succotash, supawn, trepang, vanilla, waffle, walnut, table, cuisine, bill of fare, menu, table d'hote, ordinary, entree, meal, repast, feed, spread, mess, dish, plate, course, regale, regalement, refreshment, entertainment, refection, collation, picnic, feast, banquet, junket, breakfast, lunch, luncheon, dejeuner, bever, tiffin, dinner, supper, snack, junk food, fast food, whet, bait, dessert, potluck, table d'hote, dejeuner a la fourchette, hearty meal, square meal, substantial meal, full meal, blowout, light refreshment, bara, chotahazri, bara khana, mouthful, bolus, gobbet, morsel, sop, sippet, drink, beverage, liquor, broth, soup, potion, dram, draught, drench, swill, nip, sip, sup, gulp, wine, spirits, liqueur, beer, ale, malt liquor, Sir John Barleycorn, stingo, heavy wet, grog, toddy, flip, purl, punch, negus, cup, bishop, wassail, gin, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, tea, the cup that cheers but not inebriates, bock beer, lager beer, Pilsener beer, schenck beer, Brazil tea, cider, claret, ice water, mate, mint julep, near beer, 2 beer, non- alcoholic beverage, eating house, diner, hippophage, glutton, eatable, edible, esculent, comestible, alimentary, cereal, cibarious, dietetic, culinary, nutritive, nutritious, gastric, succulent, potable, potulent, bibulous, omnivorous, carnivorous, herbivorous, granivorous, graminivorous, phytivorous, ichthyivorous, omophagic, omophagous, pantophagous, phytophagous, xylophagous, across the walnuts and the wine, blessed hour of our dinners!, now good digestion wait on appetite, and health on both!, who can cloy the hungry edge of appetite?.

River

VB flow, run, meander, gush, pour, spout, roll, jet, well, issue, drop, drip, dribble, plash, spirtle, trill, trickle, distill, percolate, stream, overflow, inundate, deluge, flow over, splash, swash, guggle, murmur, babble, bubble, purl, gurgle, sputter, spurt, spray, regurgitate, ooze, flow out, rain hard, rain in torrents, rain cats and dogs, rain pitchforks, pour with rain, drizzle, spit, set in, mizzle, flow into, fall into, open into, drain into, discharge itself, disembogue, pour, pour out, shower down, irrigate, drench, spill, splash, stanch, dam, up, obstruct.

Faintness

VB whisper, breathe, murmur, purl, hum, gurgle, ripple, babble, flow, tinkle, mutter, susurrate, steal on the ear, melt in the air, float on the air.

Musician

VB play, pipe, strike up, sweep the chords, tweedle, fiddle, strike the lyre, beat the drum, blow the horn, sound the horn, wind the horn, doodle, grind the organ, touch the guitar, thrum, strum, beat time, execute, perform, accompany, sing a second, play a second, compose, set to music, arrange, sing, chaunt, chant, hum, warble, carol, chirp, chirrup, lilt, purl, quaver, trill, shake, twitter, whistle, sol-fa, intone, have an ear for music, have a musical ear, have a correct ear.