Purim Pu"rim noun [ Hebrew pūr , plural pūrīm , a lot.] A Jewish festival, called also the Feast of Lots, instituted to commemorate the deliverance of the Jews from the machinations of Haman. Esther ix. 26.

Purism Pur"ism noun [ Confer French purisme .] Rigid purity; the quality of being affectedly pure or nice, especially in the choice of language; over-solicitude as to purity. "His political purism ." De Quincey.

The English language, however, . . . had even already become too thoroughly and essentially a mixed tongue for his doctrine of purism to be admitted to the letter.

Craik.

Purist Pur"ist noun [ Confer French puriste .] 1. One who aims at excessive purity or nicety, esp. in the choice of language.

He [ Fox] . . . purified vocabulary with a scrupulosity unknown to any purist .

Macaulay.

2. One who maintains that the New Testament was written in pure Greek. M. Stuart.

Puristic, Puristical Pu·ris"tic, Pu·ris"tic·al adjective Of or pertaining to purists or purism.

Puritan Pu"ri·tan noun [ From Purity .] 1. (Eccl. Hist.) One who, in the time of Queen Elizabeth and the first two Stuarts, opposed traditional and formal usages, and advocated simpler forms of faith and worship than those established by law; -- originally, a term of reproach. The Puritans formed the bulk of the early population of New England.

» The Puritans were afterward distinguished as Political Puritans , Doctrinal Puritans , and Puritans in Discipline . Hume.

2. One who is scrupulous and strict in his religious life; -- often used reproachfully or in contempt; one who has overstrict notions.

She would make a puritan of the devil.

Shak.

Puritan Pu"ri·tan adjective Of or pertaining to the Puritans; resembling, or characteristic of, the Puritans.

Puritanic, Puritanical Pu`ri·tan"ic, Pu`ri·tan"ic·al adjective 1. Of or pertaining to the Puritans, or to their doctrines and practice.

2. Precise in observance of legal or religious requirements; strict; overscrupulous; rigid; -- often used by way of reproach or contempt.

Paritanical circles, from which plays and novels were strictly excluded.

Macaulay.

He had all the puritanic traits, both good and evil.

Hawthorne.

Puritanically Pu`ri·tan"ic·al·ly adverb In a puritanical manner.

Puritanism Pu"ri·tan·ism noun The doctrines, notions, or practice of Puritans.

Puritanize Pu"ri·tan·ize intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Puritanized ; present participle & verbal noun Puritanizing .] To agree with, or teach, the doctrines of Puritans; to conform to the practice of Puritans. Bp. Montagu.

Purity Pu"ri·ty noun [ Middle English purete , purte , Old French purté , French pureté , from Latin puritas , from purus pure. See Pure .] The condition of being pure. Specifically: (a) freedom from foreign admixture or deleterious matter; as, the purity of water, of wine, of drugs, of metals. (b) Cleanness; freedom from foulness or dirt. "The purity of a linen vesture." Holyday. (c) Freedom from guilt or the defilement of sin; innocence; chastity; as, purity of heart or of life. (d) Freedom from any sinister or improper motives or views. (e) Freedom from foreign idioms, or from barbarous or improper words or phrases; as, purity of style.

Purkinje's cells Pur"kin·je's cells` [ From J. English Purkinje , their discoverer.] (Anat.) Large ganglion cells forming a layer near the surface of the cerebellum.

Purl Purl transitive verb [ Contr. from purfile , purfle . See Purfle .] To decorate with fringe or embroidery. "Nature's cradle more enchased and purled ." B. Jonson.

Purl Purl noun 1. 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.

Sir P. Sidney.

2. An inversion of stitches in knitting, which gives to the work a ribbed or waved appearance.

Purl stitch . Same as Purl , noun , 2.

Purl Purl intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Purled ; present participle & verbal noun Purling .] [ Confer Swedish porla , and English pur to murmur as a cat.] 1. 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.

Swift o'er the rolling pebbles, down the hills,
Louder and louder purl the falling rills.

Pope.

2. [ Perh. from French perler to pearl, to bead. See Pearl , v. & noun ] To rise in circles, ripples, or undulations; to curl; to mantle.

thin winding breath which purled up to the sky.

Shak.

Purl Purl noun [ See 3d Purl .] 1. A circle made by the notion of a fluid; an eddy; a ripple.

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.

Drayton.

2. A gentle murmur, as that produced by the running of a liquid among obstructions; as, the purl of a brook.

3. [ Perh. from French perler , v. See Purl to mantle.] 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. "Drank a glass of purl to recover appetite." Addison. "Drinking hot purl , and smoking pipes." Dickens.

4. (Zoology) A tern. [ Prov. Eng.]

Purlieu Pur"lieu noun [ Corrupted (by influence of lieu place) from Old French puralée , poralée (equiv. to Late Latin perambulatio a survey of boundaries, originally, a going through); por (L. pro , confused, however, with Latin per through) + alée . See Pro- , and Alley .] [ Written also pourlieu .] 1. Originally, the ground near a royal forest, which, having been unlawfully added to the forest, was afterwards severed from it, and disafforested so as to remit to the former owners their rights.

Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied
In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play.

Milton.

2. Hence, the outer portion of any place; an adjacent district; environs; neighborhood. "The purlieus of St. James."

brokers had been incessantly plying for custom in the purlieus of the court.

Macaulay.

Purlin, Purline Pur"lin, Pur"line noun [ Etymol. uncertain.] (Architecture) In root construction, a horizontal member supported on the principals and supporting the common rafters.

Purling Purl"ing noun [ See 3d Purl .] The motion of a small stream running among obstructions; also, the murmur it makes in so doing.

Purloin Pur·loin" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Purloined ; present participle & verbal noun Purloining .] [ Old French purloignier , porloignier , to retard, delay; pur , por , pour , for (L. pro ) + loin far, far off (L. longe ). See Prolong , and confer Eloign .] To take or carry away for one's self; hence, to steal; to take by theft; to filch.

Had from his wakeful custody purloined
The guarded gold.

Milton.

when did the muse from Fletcher scenes purloin ?

Dryden.

Purloin Pur·loin" intransitive verb To practice theft; to steal. Titus ii. 10.

Purloiner Pur·loin"er noun One who purloins. Swift.

Purparty Pur"par`ty noun [ Old French pourpartie ; pour for + partie a part; confer Old French purpart a respective part.] (Law) A share, part, or portion of an estate allotted to a coparcener. [ Written also purpart , and pourparty .]

I am forced to eat all the game of your purparties , as well as my own thirds.

Walpole.

Purple Pur"ple noun ; plural Purples . [ Middle English purpre , pourpre , Old French purpre , porpre , pourpre , French pourpre , Latin purpura purple fish, purple dye, from Greek ... the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; confer ... dark (said of the sea), purple, ... to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perhaps akin to Latin furere to rage, English fury : confer Anglo-Saxon purpure . Confer Porphyry , Purpure .] 1. A color formed by, or resembling that formed by, a combination of the primary colors red and blue.

Arraying with reflected purple and gold
The clouds that on his western throne attend.

Milton.

» The ancient words which are translated purple are supposed to have been used for the color we call crimson . In the gradations of color as defined in art, purple is a mixture of red and blue. When red predominates it is called violet , and when blue predominates, hyacinth .

2. Cloth dyed a purple color, or a garment of such color; especially, a purple robe, worn as an emblem of rank or authority; specifically, the purple rode or mantle worn by Roman emperors as the emblem of imperial dignity; as, to put on the imperial purple .

Thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and purple , and scarlet.

Ex. xxvi. 1.

3. Hence: Imperial sovereignty; royal rank, dignity, or favor; loosely and colloquially, any exalted station; great wealth. "He was born in the purple ." Gibbon.

4. A cardinalate. See Cardinal .

5. (Zoology) Any species of large butterflies, usually marked with purple or blue, of the genus Basilarchia (formerly Limenitis ) as, the banded purple ( B. arthemis ). See Illust. under Ursula .

6. (Zoology) Any shell of the genus Purpura.

7. plural (Medicine) See Purpura .

8. plural A disease of wheat. Same as Earcockle .

» Purple is sometimes used in composition, esp. with participles forming words of obvious signification; as, purple - colored, purple -hued, purple -stained, purple - tinged, purple -tinted, and the like.

French purple . (Chemistry) Same as Cudbear . -- Purple of Cassius . See Cassius . -- Purple of mollusca (Zoology) , a coloring matter derived from certain mollusks, which dyes wool, etc., of a purple or crimson color, and is supposed to be the substance of the famous Tyrian dye. It is obtained from Ianthina, and from several species of Purpura, and Murex. -- To be born in the purple , to be of princely birth; to be highborn.

Purple Pur"ple adjective 1. Exhibiting or possessing the color called purple, much esteemed for its richness and beauty; of a deep red, or red and blue color; as, a purple robe.

2. Imperial; regal; -- so called from the color having been an emblem of imperial authority.

Hide in the dust thy purple pride.

Shelley.

3. Blood-red; bloody.

May such purple tears be alway shed.

Shak.

I view a field of blood,
And Tiber rolling with a purple blood.

Dryden.

Purple bird (Zoology) , the European purple gallinule. See under Gallinule . -- Purple copper ore . (Min.) See Bornite . -- Purple grackle (Zoology) , the crow blackbird. See under Crow . -- Purple martin . See under Martin . -- Purple sandpiper . See under Sandpiper . -- Purple shell . See Ianthina .

Purple Pur"ple transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Purpled ; present participle & verbal noun Purpling .] To make purple; to dye of purple or deep red color; as, hands purpled with blood.

When morn
Purples the east.

Milton.

Reclining soft in blissful bowers,
Purpled sweet with springing flowers.

Fenton.

Purpleheart Pur"ple·heart` noun (Botany) A strong, durable, and elastic wood of a purplish color, obtained from several tropical American leguminous trees of the genus Copaifera ( Copaifera pubiflora , Copaifera bracteata , and Copaifera officinalis ). Used for decorative veneering. See Copaiba .

Purplewood Pur"ple·wood` noun Same as Purpleheart .

Purplish Pur"plish adjective Somewhat purple. Boyle.

Purport Pur"port noun [ Old French purport ; pur , pour , for (L. pro ) + porter to bear, carry. See Port demeanor.]

1. Design or tendency; meaning; import; tenor.

The whole scope and purport of that dialogue. Norris .
With a look so piteous in purport
As if he had been loosed out of hell.

Shak.

2. Disguise; covering. [ Obsolete]

For she her sex under that strange purport
Did use to hide.

Spenser.

Purport Pur"port transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Purported ; present participle & verbal noun Purporting .] [ Old French purporter , pourporter . See Purport , noun ] To intend to show; to intend; to mean; to signify; to import; -- often with an object clause or infinitive.

They in most grave and solemn wise unfolded
Matter which little purported .

Rowe.

Purportless Pur"port·less adjective Without purport or meaning.

Purpose Pur"pose noun [ Old French purpos , pourpos , propos , Latin propositum . See Propound .] 1. That which a person sets before himself as an object to be reached or accomplished; the end or aim to which the view is directed in any plan, measure, or exertion; view; aim; design; intention; plan.

He will his firste purpos modify.

Chaucer.

As my eternal purpose hath decreed.

Milton.

The flighty purpose never is o'ertook
Unless the deed go with it.

Shak.

2. Proposal to another; discourse. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

3. Instance; example. [ Obsolete] L'Estrange.

In purpose , Of purpose , On purpose , with previous design; with the mind directed to that object; intentionally. On purpose is the form now generally used.

Syn. -- design; end; intention; aim. See Design .

Purpose Pur"pose transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Purposed ; present participle & verbal noun Purposing .] [ Old French purposer , proposer . See Propose .] 1. To set forth; to bring forward. [ Obsolete]

2. To propose, as an aim, to one's self; to determine upon, as some end or object to be accomplished; to intend; to design; to resolve; -- often followed by an infinitive or dependent clause. Chaucer.

Did nothing purpose against the state.

Shak.

I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time which is within the memory of men still living.

Macaulay.

Purpose Pur"pose intransitive verb To have a purpose or intention; to discourse. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Purposedly Pur"posed·ly adverb In a purposed manner; according to purpose or design; purposely.

A poem composed purposedly of the Trojan war. Holland .

Purposeful Pur"pose·ful adjective Important; material. "Purposeful accounts." Tylor. -- Pur"pose*ful*ly , adverb

Purposeless Pur"pose·less adjective Having no purpose or result; objectless. Bp. Hall. -- Pur"pose*less*ness , noun

Purposely Pur"pose·ly adverb With purpose or design; intentionally; with predetermination; designedly.

In composing this discourse, I purposely declined all offensive and displeasing truths.

Atterbury.

So much they scorn the crowd, that if the throng
By chance go right, they purposely go wrong.

Pope.

Purposer Pur"pos·er noun 1. One who brings forward or proposes anything; a proposer. [ Obsolete]

2. One who forms a purpose; one who intends.

Purposive Pur"po·sive adjective Having or indicating purpose or design. " Purposive characters." Bastian.

Purposive modification of structure in a bone.

Owen.

It is impossible that the frog should perform actions more purposive than these.

Huxley.

Purpre Pur"pre noun & adjective Purple. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Purpresture Pur·pres"ture noun [ Probably corrupted (see Prest ) from Old French pourprisure , from pourprendre : confer Late Latin purprestura . Confer Purprise .] (Law) Wrongful encroachment upon another's property; esp., any encroachment upon, or inclosure of, that which should be common or public, as highways, rivers, harbors, forts, etc. [ Written also pourpresture .]

Purprise Pur"prise noun [ Old French pourpris ,fr. pourprendre to take away entirely; pour for + prendre to take.] A close or inclosure; the compass of a manor. Bacon.

Purpura Pur"pu·ra noun [ Latin , purple, purple fish: confer French purpura . See Purple .] 1. (Medicine) A disease characterized by livid spots on the skin from extravasated blood, with loss of muscular strength, pain in the limbs, and mental dejection; the purples. Dunglison.

2. (Zoology) A genus of marine gastropods, usually having a rough and thick shell. Some species yield a purple dye.

Purpurate Pur"pu·rate adjective Of or pertaining to purpura.

Purpurate Pur"pu·rate noun (Chemistry) A salt of purpuric acid.

Purpure Pur"pure noun [ Latin purpura purple. See Purple .] (Her.) Purple, -- represented in engraving by diagonal lines declining from the right top to the left base of the escutcheon (or from sinister chief to dexter base).

Purpureal Pur·pu"re·al adjective Of a purple color; purple.

Purpureo- Pur·pu"re·o- A combining form signifying of a purple or purple-red color . Specif. (Chemistry) , used in designating certain brilliant purple-red compounds of cobaltic chloride and ammonia, similar to the roseocobaltic compounds. See Cobaltic .

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