Purpuric Pur·pu"ric adjective [ Confer French
purpurique .]
1. (Medicine) Of or pertaining to purpura. Dunglison. 2. (Chemistry) Pertaining to or designating, a nitrogenous acid contained in uric acid. It is not known in the pure state, but forms well-known purple-red compounds (as murexide), whence its name. »
Purpuric acid was formerly used to designate murexan. See
Murexan .
Purpurin Pur"pu·rin noun (Chemistry) A dyestuff resembling alizarin, found in madder root, and extracted as an orange or red crystalline substance.
Purpuriparous Pur`pu·rip"a·rous adjective [ Latin
purpura purple +
parere to produce.]
(Biol.) Producing, or connected with, a purple-colored secretion; as, the purpuriparous gland of certain gastropods.
Purpurogenous Pur`pu·rog"e·nous adjective [ Latin
purpura purple +
-genous .]
(Biol.) Having the power to produce a purple color; as, the purpurogenous membrane, or choroidal epithelium, of the eye. See Visual purple , under Visual .
Purr Purr intransitive verb & t. To murmur as a cat. See Pur .
Purr Purr noun The low murmuring sound made by a cat; pur. See Pur .
Purre Purre noun (Zoology) The dunlin. [ Prov. Eng.]
Purree Pur"ree noun [ Hind.
peori yellow.]
(Chemistry) A yellow coloring matter. See Euxanthin .
Purrock Pur"rock noun See Puddock , and Parrock .
Purse Purse noun [ Middle English
purs ,
pors , Old French
burse ,
borse ,
bourse , French
bourse , Late Latin bursa, from Greek ... hide, skin, leather. Confer
Bourse ,
Bursch ,
Bursar ,
Buskin .]
1. A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to carry money in; by extension, any receptacle for money carried on the person; a wallet; a pocketbook; a portemonnaie. Chaucer. Who steals my purse steals trash.
Shak. 2. Hence, a treasury; finances; as, the public purse . 3. A sum of money offered as a prize, or collected as a present; as, to win the purse ; to make up a purse . 4. A specific sum of money ; as:
(a) In Turkey, the sum of 500 piasters. (b) In Persia, the sum of 50 tomans. Light purse , or
Empty purse ,
poverty or want of resources. --
Long purse , or
Heavy purse ,
wealth; riches. --
Purse crab (Zoology) ,
any land crab of the genus Birgus , allied to the hermit crabs. They sometimes weigh twenty pounds or more, and are very strong, being able to crack cocoanuts with the large claw. They chiefly inhabit the tropical islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, living in holes and feeding upon fruit. Called also palm crab . --
Purse net ,
a fishing net, the mouth of which may be closed or drawn together like a purse. Mortimer. --
Purse pride ,
pride of money; insolence proceeding from the possession of wealth. Bp. Hall. --
Purse rat .
(Zoology) See Pocket gopher , under Pocket . --
Sword and purse ,
the military power and financial resources of a nation.
Purse Purse transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Pursed ;
present participle & verbal noun Pursing .]
1. To put into a purse. I will go and purse the ducats straight.
Shak. 2. To draw up or contract into folds or wrinkles, like the mouth of a purse; to pucker; to knit. Thou . . . didst contract and purse thy brow.
Shak.
Purse Purse intransitive verb To steal purses; to rob. [ Obsolete & R.]
I'll purse : . . . I'll bet at bowling alleys.
Beau. & Fl.
Purse-proud Purse"-proud` adjective Affected with purse pride; puffed up with the possession of riches.
Purseful Purse"ful noun ;
plural Pursefuls All that is, or can be, contained in a purse; enough to fill a purse.
Purser Purs"er noun [ See
Purse , and confer
Bursar .]
1. (Nautical) A commissioned officer in the navy who had charge of the provisions, clothing, and public moneys on shipboard; -- now called paymaster . 2. A clerk on steam passenger vessels whose duty it is to keep the accounts of the vessels, such as the receipt of freight, tickets, etc. 3. Colloquially, any paymaster or cashier. Purser's name (Nautical) ,
a false name. [ Slang]
Pursership Purs"er·ship noun The office of purser. Totten.
Purset Purs"et noun A purse or purse net. B. Jonson.
Pursiness Pur"si·ness noun State of being pursy.
Pursive Pur"sive adjective Pursy. [ Obsolete]
Holland.
Pursiveness Pur"sive·ness noun Pursiness. [ Obsolete & R.]
Purslain Purs"lain noun Same as Purslane .
Purslane Purs"lane noun [ Old French
porcelaine ,
pourcelaine (cf. Italian
porcellana ), corrupted from Latin
porcilaca for
portulaca .]
(Botany) An annual plant ( Portulaca oleracea ), with fleshy, succulent, obovate leaves, sometimes used as a pot herb and for salads, garnishing, and pickling. Flowering purslane , or
Great flowered purslane ,
the Portulaca grandiflora . See Portulaca . --
Purslane tree ,
a South African shrub ( Portulacaria Afra ) with many small opposite fleshy obovate leaves. --
Sea purslane ,
a seashore plant ( Arenaria peploides ) with crowded opposite fleshy leaves. --
Water purslane ,
an aquatic plant ( Ludwiqia palustris ) but slightly resembling purslane.
Pursuable Pur·su"a·ble adjective Capable of being, or fit to be, pursued, followed, or prosecuted. Sherwood.
Pursual Pur·su"al noun The act of pursuit. [ R.]
Pursuance Pur·su"ance noun [ See
Pursuant .]
1. The act of pursuing or prosecuting; a following out or after. Sermons are not like curious inquiries after new nothings, but pursuances of old truths.
Jer. Taylor. 2. The state of being pursuant; consequence. In pursuance of ,
in accordance with; in prosecution or fulfillment of.
Pursuant Pur·su"ant adjective [ From
Pursue : confer Middle English
poursuiant . Confer
Pursuivant .]
Acting in consequence or in prosecution (of anything); hence, agreeable; conformable; following; according; -- with to or of . The conclusion which I draw from these premises, pursuant to the query laid down, is, etc.
Waterland.
Pursuant, Pursuantly Pur·su"ant, Pur·su"ant·ly adverb Agreeably; conformably.
Pursue Pur·sue" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Pursued ;
present participle & verbal noun Pursuing .] [ Middle English
pursuen ,
porsuen , Old French
porsivre ,
poursuivre ,
poursuir , French
poursuivre , from Latin
prosequi ;
pro forward +
sequi to follow. See
Sue , and confer
Prosecute ,
Pursuivant .]
1. To follow with a view to overtake; to follow eagerly, or with haste; to chase; as, to pursue a hare. We happiness pursue ; we fly from pain.
Prior. The happiness of men lies in purswing ,
Not in possessing.
Longfellow. 2. To seek; to use or adopt measures to obtain; as, to pursue a remedy at law. The fame of ancient matrons you pursue .
Dryden. 3. To proceed along, with a view to some and or object; to follow; to go in; as, Captain Cook pursued a new route; the administration pursued a wise course. 4. To prosecute; to be engaged in; to continue. " Insatiate to
pursue vain war."
Milton. 5. To follow as an example; to imitate. 6. To follow with enmity; to persecute; to call to account. The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have pursued me, they shall pursue you also.
Wyclif (John xv. 20). Syn. -- To follow; chase; seek; persist. See
Follow .
Pursue Pur·sue" intransitive verb 1. To go in pursuit; to follow. The wicked flee when no man pursueth .
Prov. xxviii. 1. Men hotly pursued after the objects of their ambition.
Earle. 2. To go on; to proceed, especially in argument or discourse; to continue. [ A Gallicism]
I have, pursues Carneades, wondered chemists should not consider.
Boyle. 3. (Law) To follow a matter judicially, as a complaining party; to act as a prosecutor. Burrill.
Pursuer Pur·su"er noun 1. One who pursues or chases; one who follows in haste, with a view to overtake. 2. (Eccl. & Scots Law) A plaintiff; a prosecutor.
Pursuit Pur·suit" noun [ French
poursuite , from
poursuivre . See
Pursue ,
transitive verb ]
1. The act of following or going after; esp., a following with haste, either for sport or in hostility; chase; prosecution; as, the pursuit of game; the pursuit of an enemy. Clarendon. Weak we are, and can not shun pursuit .
Shak. 2. A following with a view to reach, accomplish, or obtain; endeavor to attain to or gain; as, the pursuit of knowledge; the pursuit of happiness or pleasure. 3. Course of business or occupation; continued employment with a view to same end; as, mercantile pursuits ; a literary pursuit . 4. (Law) Prosecution. [ Obsolete]
That pursuit for tithes ought, and of ancient time did pertain to the spiritual court.
Fuller. Curve of pursuit (Geom.) ,
a curve described by a point which is at each instant moving towards a second point, which is itself moving according to some specified law.
Pursuivant Pur"sui·vant noun [ French
poursuivant , from
poursuivre . See
Pursue , and confer
Pursuant .] [ Written also
poursuivant .]
1. (Heralds' College) A functionary of lower rank than a herald, but discharging similar duties; -- called also pursuivant at arms ; an attendant of the heralds. Also used figuratively. The herald Hope, forerunning Fear,
And Fear, the pursuivant of Hope.
Longfellow. 2. The king's messenger; a state messenger. One pursuivant who attempted to execute a warrant there was murdered.
Macaulay.
Pursuivant Pur"sui·vant transitive verb To pursue. [ Obsolete & R.]
Their navy was pursuivanted after with a horrible tempest.
Fuller.
Pursy Pur"sy adjective [ Old French
pourcif ,
poulsif ,
poussif , from
pousser to push, thrust, heave, Old French also
poulser : confer French
pousse the heaves, asthma. See
Push .]
Fat and short-breathed; fat, short, and thick; swelled with pampering; as, pursy insolence. Shak. Pursy important he sat him down.
Sir W. Scot.
Purtenance Pur"te·nance noun [ Abbrev. from
appurtenance .]
That which pertains or belongs to something; esp., the heard, liver, and lungs of an animal. [ Obsolete] " The
purtenaunces of purgatory."
Piers Plowman. Roast [ it] with fire, his head with his legs, and with the purtenance [ Rev. Ver. , inwards] thereof.
Ex. xii. 9.
Purulence, Purulency Pu"ru·lence, Pu"ru·len·cy noun [ Latin
purulentia : confer French
purulence .]
(Medicine) The quality or state of being purulent; the generation of pus; also, the pus itself. Arbuthnot.
Purulent Pu"ru·lent adjective [ Latin
purulentus , from
pus ,
puris , pus, matter: confer French
purulent . See
Pus .]
(Medicine) Consisting of pus, or matter; partaking of the nature of pus; attended with suppuration; as, purulent inflammation.
Purulently Pu"ru·lent·ly v. In a purulent manner.
Purveance, Purveiaunce Pur"ve·ance, Pur"vei·aunce` noun Purveyance. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Purvey Pur·vey" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Purveyed ;
present participle & verbal noun Purveying .] [ Middle English
purveien ,
porveien , Old French
porveeir ,
porveoir , French
pourvoir , from Latin
providere . See
Provide , and confer
Purview .]
1. To furnish or provide, as with a convenience, provisions, or the like. Give no odds to your foes, but do purvey
Yourself of sword before that bloody day.
Spenser. 2. To procure; to get. I mean to purvey me a wife after the fashion of the children of Benjamin.
Sir W. Scot.
Purvey Pur·vey" intransitive verb 1. To purchase provisions; to provide; to make provision. Chaucer. Milton. 2. To pander; -- with to . " Their turpitude
purveys to their malice." [ R.]
Burke.
Purveyance Pur·vey"ance noun [ Confer French
pourvoyance .]
1. The act or process of providing or procuring; providence; foresight; preparation; management. Chaucer. The ill purveyance of his page.
Spenser. 2. That which is provided; provisions; food. 3. (Eng. Law) A providing necessaries for the sovereign by buying them at an appraised value in preference to all others, and oven without the owner's consent. This was formerly a royal prerogative, but has long been abolished. Wharton.
Purveyor Pur·vey"or noun [ Middle English
porveour , Old French
pourveor , French
pourvoyeur . See
Purvey , and confer
Proveditor .]
1. One who provides victuals, or whose business is to make provision for the table; a victualer; a caterer. 2. An officer who formerly provided, or exacted provision, for the king's household. [ Eng.]
3. a procurer; a pimp; a bawd. Addison.
Purview Pur"view noun [ Old French
purveu ,
pourveu , French
pourvu , provided, past participle of Old French
porveoir , French
pourvoir . See
Purvey ,
View , and confer
Proviso .]
1. (a) (Law) The body of a statute, or that part which begins with " Be it enacted , " as distinguished from the preamble . Cowell. (b) Hence:
The limit or scope of a statute; the whole extent of its intention or provisions. Marshall. Profanations within the purview of several statutes.
Bacon. 2. Limit or sphere of authority; scope; extent. In determining the extent of information required in the exercise of a particular authority, recourse must be had to the objects within the purview of that authority.
Madison.
Pus Pus noun [ Latin , akin to Greek ..., ..., and to English
foul : confer French
pus . See
Foul ,
adjective ]
(Medicine) The yellowish white opaque creamy matter produced by the process of suppuration. It consists of innumerable white nucleated cells floating in a clear liquid.
Pusane Pu"sane noun (Anc. Armor) A piece of armor for the breast; often, an addition to, or reënforcement of. the breastplate; -- called also pesane .
Puseyism Pu"sey·ism noun (Ch. of Eng.) The principles of Dr. Pusey and others at Oxford, England, as exhibited in various publications, esp. in a series which appeared from 1833 to 1841, designated " Tracts for the Times;" tractarianism. See Tractarianism .
Puseyistic, Puseyite Pu"sey·is"tic, Pu"sey·ite adjective Of or pertaining to Puseyism.
Puseyite Pu"sey·ite noun One who holds the principles of Puseyism; -- often used opprobriously.
Push Push noun [ Probably French
poche . See
Pouch .]
A pustule; a pimple. [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng.]
Bacon.
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