a knitting stitch made by doing a plain stitch backwards
2.
a decorative border, as of lace
3.
gold or silver wire thread
verb
4.
to knit (a row or garment) in purl stitch
5.
to edge (something) with a purl
Also (for senses 2, 3, 5): pearl
Word origin
C16: from dialect pirl to twist into a cord
purl in British English2
(pɜːl)
verb
1. (intransitive)
(of a stream, etc) to flow with a gentle curling or rippling movement and a murmuring sound
noun
2.
a curling movement of water; eddy
3.
a murmuring sound, as of a shallow stream
Word origin
C16: related to Norwegian purla to bubble
purl in American English1
(pɜrl)
verb intransitive
1.
to move in ripples or with a murmuring sound
2.
to move in eddies; swirl
noun
3.
a purling stream or rill
4.
the murmuring sound of purling water
Word origin
< ? Scand, as in Norw purla, to ripple
purl in American English2
(pɜrl)
verb transitive, verb intransitive
1.
purfle
2.
to edge (lace) with a chain of small loops
3.
to form (one or more inverted stitches) in knitting
noun
4.
twisted metal thread, as of gold or silver, used in embroidery
5.
a small loop, or a chain of loops, made on the edge of lace
6.
an inversion of stitches in knitting to produce a more varied texture
: also ˈpurling
Word origin
prob. < earlier pyrle < a Romance source as in It (Venetian) pirlo, a joining of warp and woof by twisting together the threads < echoic base *pirl, to twirl