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35,981 English word records · 45,491 etymology sections in this online subset
PARTIAL ENGLISH COVERAGE · FULL CORPUS REMAINS LOCAL4 source sections across 1 headword matching “Purl”. These are separate from the reviewed results below.
purlEnglish (en) · Etymology 1Source text
Unknown; apparently related to Scots and dialect pirl (“twist, ripple, whirl, spin”), and possibly to Older Scots pyrl ("thrust or poke at"). Compare Venetan pirlo, an embellishment where the woven threads are twisted together. May be unrelated to purfle, though the meanings are similar.
Original Wiktionary entry and references ↗purlEnglish (en) · Etymology 2Source text
from Middle English pirle (“whirligig”), Middle Italian pirla (“whipping top”).
Original Wiktionary entry and references ↗purlEnglish (en) · Etymology 3Source text
From Old Norse purla (“to babble”), possibly ultimately from an imitative Germanic base related to Dutch polder, Norwegian puldra (“to gush”) and pulla (“to bubble”), Old English polr (“marsh”).
Original Wiktionary entry and references ↗purlEnglish (en) · Etymology 4Source text
Possibly from the pearl-like appearance caused by bubbles on the surface of the liquid.
Original Wiktionary entry and references ↗INDEPENDENT SOURCE LIBRARY
More sources for this spelling
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Chambers (1908)
1908- PurlEnglish · e-38699-4581
Purl, purl, v.i. to flow with a murmuring sound, as a stream over small stones: to ripple: to flow in eddies: to curl or swirl.—v.t. to whirl about: to unseat.—n. a soft murmuring sound, as of a stream among stones: an e
Read the full source record → - PurlEnglish · e-38699-4582
Purl, purl, v.t. to fringe with a waved edging, as lace: to invert stitches.—n. an embroidered border: a hem or fringe of twisted gold or silver thread: a ribbed or wavy appearance caused by inverted stitches: a kind of
Read the full source record → - PurlEnglish · e-38699-4583
Purl, purl, n. ale warmed and spiced.
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