What is "purl"

Purl \Purl\, n. [See 3d Purl.]

1. A circle made by the notion of a fluid; an eddy; a ripple.

   Whose stream an easy breath doth seem to blow, Which on the sparkling gravel runs in purles, As though the waves had been of silver curls.
   --Drayton.

2. A gentle murmur, as that produced by the running of a liquid among obstructions; as, the purl of a brook.

3. [Perh. from F. perler, v. See Purl to mantle.] Malt liquor, medicated or spiced; formerly, ale or beer in which wormwood or other bitter herbs had been infused, and which was regarded as tonic; at present, hot beer mixed with gin, sugar, and spices. ``Drank a glass of purl to recover appetite.''
   --Addison. ``Drinking hot purl, and smoking pipes.''
   --Dickens.

4. (Zo["o]l.) A tern. [Prov. Eng.]

Purl \Purl\, v. t. [Contr. fr. purfile, purfle. See Purfle.] To decorate with fringe or embroidery. ``Nature's cradle more enchased and purled.''
--B. Jonson.

Purl \Purl\, n.

1. An embroidered and puckered border; a hem or fringe, often of gold or silver twist; also, a pleat or fold, as of a band.

   A triumphant chariot made of carnation velvet, enriched withpurl and pearl.
   --Sir P. Sidney.

2. An inversion of stitches in knitting, which gives to the work a ribbed or waved appearance.

   Purl stitch. Same as Purl, n., 2.

Purl \Purl\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Purled; p. pr. & vb. n. Purling.] [Cf. Sw. porla, and E. pur to murmur as a cat.]

1. To run swiftly round, as a small stream flowing among stones or other obstructions; to eddy; also, to make a murmuring sound, as water does in running over or through obstructions.

   Swift o'er the rolling pebbles, down the hills, Louder and louder purl the falling rills.
   --Pope.

2. [Perh. fr. F. perler to pearl, to bead. See Pearl, v. & n.] To rise in circles, ripples, or undulations; to curl; to mantle.

   thin winding breath which purled up to the sky.
   --Shak.

"knit with inverted stitches," 1825; earlier "embroider with gold or silver thread" (1520s), probably from Middle English pirlyng "revolving, twisting," of unknown origin. The two senses usually are taken as one word, but even this is not certain. Klein suggests a source in Italian pirolare "to twirl," from pirolo "top." As a noun, from late 14c. as "bordering, frills," 1530s as "twisted thread of gold and silver."

"flow with a murmuring sound," 1580s, imitative, perhaps from a Scandinavian language. Related: Purled; purling.

Etymology 1 n. 1 A particular stitch in knitting; an inversion of stitches giving the work a ribbed or waved appearance. 2 The edge of lace trimmed with loops. 3 An embroidered and puckered border; a hem or fringe, often of gold or silver twist; also, a pleat or fold, as of a band. vb. 1 To decorate with fringe or embroidered edge 2 (context knitting English) an inverted stitch producing ribbing etc Etymology 2

n. a heavy or headlong fall; an upset. vb. (context archaic English) To upset, to spin, capsize, fall heavily, fall headlong. Etymology 3

n. 1 (context UK dialect English) A circle made by the motion of a fluid; an eddy; a ripple. 2 (context UK dialect English) A gentle murmuring sound, such as that produced by the running of a liquid among obstructions. vb. 1 (context intransitive English) To flow with a murmuring sound in swirls and eddies. 2 To rise in circles, ripples, or undulations; to curl; to mantle. Etymology 4

n. 1 (context archaic English) ale or beer spiced with wormwood or other bitter herbs, regarded as a tonic. 2 (context archaic English) Hot beer mixed with gin, sugar, and spices. Etymology 5

n. (context UK dialect English) A tern.

1. v. flow in a circular current, of liquids [syn: eddy, whirlpool, swirl, whirl]

2. make a murmuring sound; "the water was purling"

3. knit with a purl stitch

4. edge or border with gold or silver embroidery

5. embroider with gold or silver thread

1. n. gold or silver wire thread

2. a basic knitting stitch [syn: purl stitch]

Purl or wormwood ale is a drink.

Purl may also refer to:

• Persistent uniform resource locator
• Personalized Uniform Resource Locator
• Linda Purl, an American actress
• Purl, a knitting stitch

Purl or wormwood ale is an English drink. It was originally made by infusing ale with the tops of the wormwood plant, especially the variety which grows in coastal salt marsh, which is called old woman. Other purgative or bitter herbs such as orange peel or senna might also be used. The drink was commonly drunk in the early hours of the morning at which time it was popular with labourers.

By the middle of the 19th century, wormwood had been forgotten and the recipe was to mull ale with gin, sugar and spices such as ginger. It was sold by purl-men from purl-boats on the Thames who were licensed by the Watermen's Hall. The drink ceased to be popular by the end of the 19th century, being replaced by beer, especially the variety known to the English as bitter.

Purl-royal was a similar concoction made using wine in place of ale or beer.

Shakespeare mentions purl in his play, The Merry Wives of Windsor. Samuel Pepys recorded in his diary entry for February 19, 1660, "Thence forth to Mr Harper's to drink a draft of purle, whither by appointment Monsieur L'Impertinent..." On March 21, 1662, he writes, "Thence to Westminster Hall ... Here I met with Chetwind, Parry, and several others, and went to a little house behind the Lords' house to drink some wormwood ale, which doubtless was a bawdy house, the mistress of the house having the look and dress". Two centuries later, Charles Dickens described the final period of the drink in his last novel, Our Mutual Friend:

Dickens had also made reference to purl in the earlier novel, The Old Curiosity Shop, which was published in 1840-1841. When Dick Swiveller discovers a poor ill-treated servant, who does not know her age or even her own name, he asks "Why how thin you are? What do you mean by it?". In a display of impulsive kindness, he vanishes out to a public house and returns with a boy, "...who bore in one hand a plate of bread and beef, and in the other a great pot, filled with some very fragrant compound, which sent forth a grateful steam, and was indeed choice purl, made after a particular recipe which Mr Swiveller had imparted to the landlord, at a period when he was deep in his books and desirous to conciliate his friendship."

The fetching of the victuals has key significance in the plot.

Mr Swiveller shows for the first time his humanity and compassion that exists alongside his playful self-interest. He calls the girl The Marchioness and teaches her to play cribbage. Later in the story, she nurses Dick through a fever and is the key witness in proving the innocence of Kit Nubbles, who has been framed. This allows Kit and other key characters to resume their search for Little Nell, which brings the novel to its poignant end.

The purl, therefore, plays a key part:

"Next," said Dick, handing the purl, "take a pull at that, but moderate your transports, you know as you're not used to it. Well, is it good?"

"Oh! Isn't it?" said the small servant.

The passage is a fine cameo of Dickens humour and knowledge of the detail of Victorian life.

The English took the drink with them to North America and a purl house was opened in New York where rich punches and possets were popular.

Purl is also represented now in modern form at award winning London Cocktail bar Purl London in Marylebone