purl
1 of 4noun (1)
ˈpər(-ə)l 
1
: gold or silver thread or wire for embroidering or edging
2
: the intertwisting of thread that knots a stitch usually along an edge
3
: purl stitch
purl
2 of 4verb (1)
purled; purling; purls
transitive verb
1
a
: to embroider with gold or silver thread
b
: to edge or border with gold or silver embroidery
2
: to knit in purl stitch
intransitive verb
: to do knitting in purl stitch
purl
3 of 4noun (2)
1
: a purling or swirling stream or rill
2
: a gentle murmur or movement (as of purling water)
purl
4 of 4verb (2)
purled; purling; purls
intransitive verb
1
: eddy, swirl
2
: to make a soft murmuring sound like that of a purling stream
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English
Noun (2)
perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian purla to ripple
First Known Use
Noun (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (1)
1518, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun (2)
circa 1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
circa 1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing purl
purls
verb
as in eddies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- eddies
- swirls
- ripples
- bubbles
- gurgles
- dribbles
- splashes
- laps
- washes
- swishes
- plashes
- drips
- trickles
- swooshes
- guggles
- swashes
- spouts
- squirts
- spurts
- drops
- rushes
- jets
- gushes
- whishes
- spews
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- streams
- rolls
- runs
- pours