/pɜːl/, [pʰəːɫ], /pɝl/
OriginFrom Middle English perle, from Old French perle of uncertain etymology. Probably via unattested Medieval Latin *pernula, from Latin perna (“haunch; a marine bivalve shaped like a leg of lamb”) but also derived from Medieval Latin perla, from Latin perula (“little bag”). Its typographic use follows the name given by Jean Jannon to the type used in his miniature editions of Vergil, Horace, & the New Testament in the 1620s, which were the smallest printed works to his time. Its surfing use derives from the supposed resemblance to pearl diving.
- countable, literally, uncountableA shelly concretion, usually rounded, and having a brilliant luster, with varying tints, found in the mantle, or between the mantle and shell, of certain bivalve mollusks, especially in the pearl oysters and river mussels, and sometimes in certain univalves.
- countable, literally, uncountableNacre; mother-of-pearl.
- countable, figuratively, uncountableSomething precious.
“I see thee compassed with thy kingdom's pearl.”
“Hugh helped himself to bacon. "My dear fellow, she can think what she likes so long as she continues to grill bacon like this. Your wife is a treasure, James—a pearl amongst women; and you can tell he”
- countable, uncountableA capsule of gelatin or similar substance containing liquid for, e.g., medicinal application.
- countable, uncountableA whitish speck or film on the eye.
“Boast not of your eyes; it is feared you have Balaam's disease, a pearl in your eye, Mammon's prestriction.”
- countable, uncountableA fish allied to the turbot; the brill.
- countable, uncountableA light-colored tern.
- countable, uncountableOne of the circle of tubercles which form the bur on a deer's antler.
- countable, uncountableA fringe or border.
- countable, figuratively, uncountableA valuable little nugget of information; especially, an aphorism or tip that is operationally useful for decision-making.
- abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountableEllipsis of pearl tapioca.
- countable, uncountableArgent, in blazoning by precious stones.
“Errol. Pearl three Escutcheons Ruby. / Elgin. Topaz a Saltier and Chief Ruby, on a Canton Pearl a Lyon Rampant Saphyr, which last is their paternal Coat; and the Field Topaz, and Saltier, and Chief Ru”
“The Field is Ruby, on a Bend Topaz, three Martlets Diamond. The Armes of the most Noble and Puissant Lord, Edward Brabazon, Earl of Meath, and Baron of Atherdee in the Kingdom of Ireland. His Lordship”
“(1) Pearl, a Cross, Ruby, with the Effigies of our Saviour thereon, Topaz, born in Memory of one of the Family's fighting against the Turks.”
- dated, uncountableThe size of type between diamond and agate, standardized as 5-point.
- countable, obsolete, uncountableA jewel or gem.
“There is gold, and multitude of pearles: but a precious vessel the lips of knowledge.”
- figuratively, sometimes, transitiveTo set or adorn with pearls, or with mother-of-pearl.
“Syed Omar began to walk to the airport. Sweat pearled his tough brown skin, his fat bounced in rhythm.”
- transitiveTo cause to resemble pearls in shape; to make into small round grains.
- transitiveTo cause to resemble pearls in lustre or iridescence.
“A Teaching Company Scheme developing new technology for pearling light bulbs was established in October […]”
- intransitiveTo resemble pearl or pearls.
- intransitiveTo bead; to form droplets.
“I'm left here with the memory of all their shining words, like drops of water pearling on the window-pane”
“Blood pearled on the blade, its aroma filling the air.”
“The razorlike edges sliced shallow seams through the callouses. The fluid pearled but didn't run, and it stung in the saltwater.”
- intransitiveTo hunt for pearls
- intransitiveTo sink the nose of one's surfboard into the water, often on takeoff.
“Used a pointed tip today and learned why I kept pearling with my round tipped board. Round noses like to dig into the water, causing frustrating wipeouts.”
- intransitiveOf the nose of the surfboard: to sink in this manner.
“He couldn't even turn the board or raise the nose. Consequently, the board pearled, nose-dived into the water, throwing Lee off almost like being thrown from a horse. But he persisted.”
- intransitiveOf aquatic plants: to produce visible bubbles on the stems and leaves during photosynthesis, usually in a simulated environment like an aquarium.
- To use an ender pearl to teleport by throwing it.
- countable, uncountableA female given name from English.
“Her Pearl!—For so had Hester called her; not as a name expressive of her aspect, which had nothing of the calm, white, unimpassioned lustre that would be indicated by the comparison. But she named the”
“"What was your name?"
"Pearl." Ruby and Pearl, mother and daughter. "It's an ugly name, isn't it?"
"No, it isn't". And I meant it, it wasn't. "Old-fashioned, perhaps, but nice."
She stared at me. "Do ”
- countable, rare, uncountableA male given name from English.
- countable, uncountableA surname from English.
- countable, uncountableA major river in Guangdong, China; in full, the Pearl River.
“The only news of interest brought by the Calcutta and China mail is that the river Pearl, in Southern China, had been explored by a party of the British to the distance of 195 miles.”
“During these ten years the northern province of Chihli, with a population of over 32,000,000, has been inundated thrice; the Huai River running through three central provinces, with people more in num”
“The Pearl is a river system in southern China.”
- abbreviation, alt-of, countable, uncountableShort for Pearl River (Etymology 2): a river in Mississippi and Louisiana, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico,
- abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountableEllipsis of Pearl Harbor: a harbor in Oahu, Hawaii, United States, in the Pacific Ocean.
Formspearls(plural) · pearls(present, singular, third-person) · pearling(participle, present) · pearled(participle, past) · pearled(past) · Pearls(plural)
Source: Wiktionary