different between purl vs purfle

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p??l/, [p????]
• (US) IPA^(key): /p?l/, [p???]
• Rhymes: -??(r)l
• Homophone: pearl

Etymology 1

Unknown; apparently related to Scots and dialect pirl (“twist, ripple, whirl, spin”), and possibly to Older Scots pyrl ("thrust or poke at"). Compare Venetian pirlo, an embellishment where the woven threads are twisted together. May be unrelated to purfle, though the meanings are similar.

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.

   • 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

• purler

Etymology 3

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”).

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)

1. (Britain, dialect) A circle made by the motion of a fluid; an eddy; a ripple.
   • 1596, Michael Drayton, Mortimeriados

     Whose streame an easie breath doth seeme to blowe; Which on the sparkling grauell runns in purles,
     , As though the waues had been of siluer curles

   • 1653, Jeremy Taylor, Twenty-five Sermons preached at Golden Grove; being for the Winter Half-year

     The purls flowing from the fountain of life.

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

References

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.
   • 1711, The Spectator, number 88

     A double mug of purle.

2. (archaic) Hot beer mixed with gin, sugar, and spices.

   • Drank a glass of purl to recover appetite.

   • Drinking hot purl, and smoking pipes.

Etymology 5

Noun

purl (plural purls)

1. (Britain, dialect) A tern.

Anagrams

• PLUR, plur.

English

Alternative forms

• purflew
• purfyle (13th - 15th centuries)

Etymology

From Old French porfiler, from Latin pro- + filum (“thread”). Doublet of profile.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p??f?l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?p?f?l/

Noun

purfle (plural purfles)

1. An ornamental border on clothing, furniture or a violin; beading, stringing.
2. (heraldry) An ornament consisting of a bordure of ermines, furs, etc. or gold studs or mountings.

Verb

purfle (third-person singular simple present purfles, present participle purfling, simple past and past participle purfled)

1. (transitive, archaic) To decorate (wood, cloth etc.) with a purfle or ornamental border; to border.
   • 1885, Sir Richard Burton, The Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad in The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol. 1:

     It came to pass on a certain day, as he stood about the street leaning idly upon his crate, behold, there stood before him an honourable woman in a mantilla of Mosul silk, broidered with gold and bordered with brocade; her walking shoes were also purfled with gold and her hair floated in long plaits.

   • 2003, Tom Robbins, Villa Incognito,

     Remembering the exchange now, Dickie smiled that winning southern-boy smile. Then he went glum again. He thumped the purfled sound board.

2. (heraldry, transitive) To ornament with a bordure of ermines, furs, etc. or with gold studs or mountings.

Translations

Related terms

• purfling
• purl
• profile