purl
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
purl1
▶adjective (of a knitting stitch) made by putting the needle through the front of the stitch from right to left. Compare with plain1 (sense 5 of the adjective). ▶verb knit with a purl stitch.
– origin C17: of uncertain origin.
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
purl2 literary
▶verb (of a stream or river) flow with a swirling motion and babbling sound. ▶noun a motion or sound of this kind.
– origin C16 (denoting a small swirling stream): prob. imitative.
'purl' also found in these Oxford entries:
