pur|ple

pur|ple
pur|ple «PUR puhl», noun, adjective, verb, -pled, -pling.
–n.
1. a dark color made by mixing red and blue.
2. crimson. This was the ancient meaning of purple.
3. purple cloth or clothing, especially as worn by emperors, kings, and princes, to indicate high rank.
4. Figurative. imperial, royal, or high rank. A prince is born to the purple.
5. the rank or position of a cardinal.
6. any one of several gastropods having a gland that secretes purplish fluid. One is common on both shores of the Atlantic.
–adj.
1. of the color of purple.
2. = crimson. (Cf. ↑crimson)
5. very ornate in style: »

purple prose.

–v.t., v.i.
to make or become purple.
╂[Old English purple, variant of purpure < Latin purpura < Greek porphýrā a shell fish; the purple dye obtained from it]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • ple — ple·iad; ple·i·dae; ple·na·ri·ly; ple·nar·ty; ple·na·ry; ple·ne; ple·ni·lune; ple·nip·o·tence; ple·nip·o·tent; ple·nist; ple·o·chro·ic; ple·och·ro·ism; ple·och·ro·ous; ple·o·cy·to·sis; ple·o·dont; ple·o·mas·tia; ple·o·ma·zia; ple·o·me·tro·sis;… …   English syllables

  • pur — ace·to·pur·pu·rine; an·thra·pur·pu·rin; ap·pur·te·nance; com·pur·ga·tion; com·pur·ga·tor; com·pur·ga·to·ri·al; com·pur·ga·to·ry; ex·pur·gate; ex·pur·ga·tion; ex·pur·ga·tor; ex·pur·ga·to·ri·al; ex·pur·ga·to·ry; jai·pur; jam·shed·pur; ka·pur;… …   English syllables

  • purple — pur·ple …   English syllables

  • purple — pur•ple [[t]ˈpɜr pəl[/t]] n. adj. pler, plest, 1) any color having components of both red and blue, esp. one deep in tone 2) cloth or clothing of this hue, esp. as formerly worn distinctively by persons of royal or other high rank 3) the office… …   From formal English to slang

  • purple — pur|ple1 [ pɜrpl ] adjective * between red and blue in color. If something is similar to this color, you can say that it is purplish or purply. a purple passage or purple prose a piece of writing that is written in a very emotional or complicated …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • purpleness — pur·ple·ness …   English syllables

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