The Collaborative International Dictionary
Purple \Pur"ple\, a.
Exhibiting or possessing the color called purple, much esteemed for its richness and beauty; of a deep red, or red and blue color; as, a purple robe.
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Imperial; regal; -- so called from the color having been an emblem of imperial authority.
Hide in the dust thy purple pride.
--Shelley. -
Blood-red; bloody.
May such purple tears be alway shed.
--Shak.I view a field of blood, And Tiber rolling with a purple blood.
--Dryden.Purple bird (Zo["o]l.), the European purple gallinule. See under Gallinule.
Purple copper ore. (Min.) See Bornite.
Purple grackle (Zo["o]l.), the crow blackbird. See under Crow.
Purple martin. See under Martin.
Purple sandpiper. See under Sandpiper.
Purple shell. See Ianthina.
Usage examples of "purple bird".
The great fish hung there in the depth of water where he was like a huge dark purple bird and then settled slowly.
Catching up the edge of her veil which threatened to take off in the freshening breeze like a great purple bird, Aba gave the still figure a baleful glare and stomped off toward the main house.
When it opened its mouth, revealing a ridiculous purple bird tongue, there was a suggestion that this seagull could do a lot more than menace a seaside tomato sandwich.