单词 | pearl |
释义 | pearl 1. n. & v. --n   1. a (often attrib.) a usu. white or bluish-grey hard mass formed within the shell of a pearl-oyster or other bivalve mollusc, highly prized as a gem for its lustre (pearl necklace). b an imitation of this. c (in pl.) a necklace of pearls. d = mother-of-pearl (cf. seed-pearl).   2. a precious thing; the finest example.   3. anything resembling a pearl, e.g. a dewdrop, tear, etc. --v   1. tr. poet. a sprinkle with pearly drops. b make pearly in colour etc.   2. tr. reduce (barley etc.) to small rounded grains.   3. intr. fish for pearl-oysters.   4. intr. poet. form pearl-like drops. Phrases and idioms cast pearls before swine offer a treasure to a person unable to appreciate it. pearl ash commercial potassium carbonate. pearl barley barley reduced to small round grains by grinding. pearl bulb a translucent electric light bulb. pearl button a button made of mother-of-pearl or an imitation of it. pearl-diver a person who dives for pearl-oysters. pearl millet a tall cereal, Pennisetum typhoides. pearl onion a very small onion used in pickles. pearl-oyster any of various marine bivalve molluscs of the genus Pinctada, bearing pearls. Derivatives pearler n. Etymology: ME f. OF perle prob. f. L perna leg (applied to leg-of-mutton-shaped bivalve) 2. n. Brit. = PICOT. Etymology: var. of PURL(1) |
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