purl

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /pɜːl/, [pʰəːɫ]
• (General American) IPA: /pɝl/, [pʰɝɫ]
• Homophone: pearl

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.

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) To use an inverted stitch producing ribbing etc.
   • Knit one, purl two.

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.

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.
2. To rise in circles, ripples, or undulations; to curl; to mantle.

Noun

purl (plural purls) (Britain, dialectal)

1. A circle made by the motion of a fluid; an eddy; a ripple.
2. A gentle murmuring sound, such as that produced by the running of a liquid among obstructions.
   • the purl of a brook

Noun

purl (uncountable)

1. (archaic) Ale or beer spiced with wormwood or other bitter herbs, regarded as a tonic.
2. (archaic) Hot beer mixed with gin, sugar, and spices.

Noun

purl (plural purls)

1. (UK, dialect) A tern.

Anagrams

• PLUR, plur.