释义 |
purr /pəː /verb [no object]1(Of a cat) make a low continuous vibratory sound expressing contentment: the cat purred loudly, rubbing against her legs...- The cat purred loudly as Daniel scratched him behind the ears.
- The cat purred loudly as he petted her and paid attention to her.
- Ant muttered quietly, as the cat purred loudly and began to settle herself in his lap, claws digging in through his denim jeans.
1.1 [no object, with adverbial of direction] (Of a vehicle or engine) move smoothly while making a similar sound: a sleek blue BMW purred past him...- The car zoomed up behind Jack's BMW, its engine purring and the bright sun reflecting off its red chassis.
- He started the car, and drove off, into the horizon, his car engine purring like a happy kitten.
- Gwen pulled to a stop in front of the Browning mansion, the Benz's engine purring softly under the shiny silver hood.
1.2Speak in a low, soft voice, especially when expressing contentment or acting seductively: [with direct speech]: ‘Would you like a coffee?’ she purred...- The female voice purred seductively in his ear.
- Her voice was low and purring, seductive and soothing.
- A silky voice purred and I cringed, hating myself for what I was about to do.
nounA purring sound: a contented purr with a soft purr, the car headed out on to the road...- It beeped and whirred to life, the hard-drive sounding its soft purr as it accessed the system files needed to rouse the little giant.
- Clicks, purrs, growls, squeals, and roars are my only forms of verbal communication.
- I sat on the counter with Blinky, stroking her, and listening to her soft purr.
OriginEarly 17th century: imitative. Rhymesà deux, agent provocateur, astir, auteur, aver, bestir, blur, bon viveur, burr, Chandigarh, coiffeur, concur, confer, connoisseur, cordon-bleu, cri de cœur, cur, danseur, Darfur, defer, demur, de rigueur, deter, entrepreneur, er, err, farceur, faute de mieux, fir, flâneur, Fleur, force majeure, fur, hauteur, her, infer, inter, jongleur, Kerr, littérateur, longueur, masseur, Monseigneur, monsieur, Montesquieu, Montreux, murre, myrrh, occur, pas de deux, Pasteur, per, pisteur, poseur, pot-au-feu, prefer, prie-dieu, pudeur, raconteur, rapporteur, refer, répétiteur, restaurateur, saboteur, sabreur, seigneur, Sher, shirr, sir, skirr, slur, souteneur, spur, stir, tant mieux, transfer, Ur, vieux jeu, voyageur, voyeur, were, whirr |