The Collaborative International Dictionary
Purlieu \Pur"lieu\, n. [Corrupted (by influence of lieu place) fr. OF. pural['e]e, poral['e]e (equiv. to LL. perambulatio a survey of boundaries, originally, a going through); por (L. pro, confused, however, with L. per through) + al['e]e. See Pro-, and Alley.] [Written also pourlieu.]
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Originally, the ground near a royal forest, which, having been unlawfully added to the forest, was afterwards severed from it, and disafforested so as to remit to the former owners their rights.
Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play.
--Milton. -
Hence, the outer portion of any place; an adjacent district; environs; neighborhood. ``The purlieus of St. James.''
brokers had been incessantly plying for custom in the purlieus of the court.
--Macaulay.
Wiktionary
n. (archaic form of purlieu English)