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PURCHASE, pur'ch[=a]s, _v.t._ to acquire by seeking: to obtain by paying: to obtain by labour, danger, &c.: (_law_) to get in any way other than by inheritance: to raise or move by mechanical means: (_Shak._) to expiate by a fine or forfeit.--_n._ act of purchasing: that which is purchased or got for a price: value, advantage, worth: any mechanical power or advantage in raising or moving bodies.--_adj._ PUR'CHASABLE, that may be purchased: (hence of persons) venal, corrupt.--_n._ PUR'CHASER.--PURCHASE MONEY, the money paid, or to be paid, for anything; PURCHASE SHEARS, a very strong kind of shears, with removable cutters, and a strong spring at the back; PURCHASE SYSTEM, the method by which, before 1871, commissions in the British army could be bought.--(SO MANY) YEARS' PURCHASE, a price paid for a house, an estate, &c. equal to the amount of the rent or income during the stated number of years. [O. Fr. _porchacier_ (Fr. _pourchasser_), to seek eagerly, pursue--_pur_ (L. _pro_), for, _chasser_, to chase.]

PURDAH, pur'da, _n._ a curtain screening a chamber of state or the women's apartments: the seclusion itself. [Hind. _parda_, a screen.]

PURE, p[=u]r, _adj._ (_comp._ PUR'ER; _superl._ PUR'EST) clean: unsoiled: unmixed: not adulterated: real: free from guilt or defilement: chaste: modest: mere: that and that only: complete: non-empirical, involving an exercise of mind alone, without admixture of the results of experience.--_n._ purity.--_adv._ quite: (_obs._) entirely.--_v.t._ to cleanse, refine.--_adv._ PURE'LY, without blemish: wholly, entirely: (_dial._) wonderfully, very much.--_n._ PURE'NESS.--PURE MATHEMATICS (see MATHEMATICS); PURE REASON, reason alone, without any mixture of sensibility; PURE SCIENCE, the principles of any science considered in themselves and their relation to each other, and not in their application to the investigation of other branches of knowledge, as _pure mathematics_, _pure logic_, &c. [Fr. _pur_--L. _purus_, pure.]

PUReE, pu-r[=a]', _n._ a soup, such as pea-soup, in which there are no pieces of solids. [Fr.]

PURFLE, pur'fl, _v.t._ to decorate with a wrought or flowered border: (_archit._) to decorate with rich sculpture: (_her._) to ornament with a border of ermines, furs, &c.--_ns._ PUR'FLE, PUR'FLEW, a border of embroidery: (_her._) a bordure of ermines, furs, &c.; PUR'FLING.--_adj._ PUR'FLY (Carlyle), wrinkled. [O. Fr. _pourfiler_--L. _pro_, before, _filum_, a thread.]

PURGE, purj, _v.t._ to make pure: to carry off whatever is impure or superfluous: to clear from guilt or from accusation: to evacuate, as the bowels: to trim, dress, prune: to clarify, as liquors.--_v.i._ to become pure by clarifying: to have frequent evacuations.--_n._ act of purging: a medicine that purges.--_n._ PURG[=A]'TION, a purging: a clearing away of impurities: (_law_) the act of clearing from suspicion or imputation of guilt, a cleansing.--_adj._ PUR'GATIVE, cleansing: having the power of evacuating the intestines.--_n._ a medicine that evacuates.--_adv._ PUR'GATIVELY.--_adjs._ PURGAT[=O]'RIAL, PURGAT[=O]'RIAN, pertaining to purgatory; PUR'GATORY, purging or cleansing: expiatory.--_n._ (_R.C._) a place or state in which souls are after death purified from venial sins: any kind or state of suffering for a time.--_ns._ PUR'GER, a person or thing that purges; PUR'GING, act of cleansing or clearing. [Fr.

_purger_--L. _purg[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_purus_, pure, _ag[)e]re_, to do.]

PURIFY, p[=u]'ri-f[=i], _v.t._ to make pure: to cleanse from foreign or hurtful matter: to free from guilt or uncleanness: to free from improprieties or barbarisms, as language.--_v.i._ to become pure:--_pa.t._ and _pa.p._ p[=u]'rif[=i]ed.--_n._ PURIFIC[=A]'TION, act of purifying: (_B._) the act of cleansing ceremonially by removing defilement: a cleansing of the soul from moral guilt or defilement: a crushing of desire after anything evil: the pouring of wine into the chalice to rinse it after communion, the wine being then drunk by the priest.--_adj._ P[=U]'RIFIC[=A]TIVE.--_n._ P[=U]'RIFIC[=A]TOR.--_adj._ P[=U]'RIFIC[=A]TORY, tending to purify or cleanse.--_n._ P[=U]'RIFIER.--PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, a feast observed in the R.C. Church on February 2d, in commemoration of the purification of the Virgin Mary, according to the Jewish ceremonial (Lev. xii. 2) forty days after the birth of Christ. [Fr.

_purifier_--L. _purific[=a]re_--_purus_, pure, _fac[)e]re_, to make.]

PURIM, p[=u]'rim, _n._ the feast of lots held about 1st of March, in which the Jews commemorated their deliverance from the plot of Haman, as related in Esther. [Heb., pl. of _pur,_ lot.]

PURISM, p[=u]r'izm, _n._ exclusion of mixture of any kind: pure or immaculate conduct or style: the doctrine of a purist: great nicety or care in the use of words.--_n._ P[=U]R'IST, one who is excessively pure or nice in the choice of words.--_adj._ P[=U]RIS'TIC.

PURITAN, p[=u]r'i-tan, _n._ one aiming at greater strictness in religious life, esp. one of a religious and political party having such aims in the time of Elizabeth and the Stuarts.--_adj._ pertaining to the Puritans.--_adjs._ P[=U]RITAN'IC, -AL, like a Puritan: rigid: exact.--_adv._ P[=U]RITAN'ICALLY.--_v.i._ P[=U]R'ITANISE.--_n._ P[=U]R'ITANISM, a puritan manner of life: strictness of life: simplicity and purity of worship: the notions or practice of Puritans. [L. _puritas_, purity--_purus_, pure.]

PURITY, p[=u]r'i-ti, _n._ condition of being pure: freedom from mixture of any kind: freedom from sin or defilement: chastity: sincerity: freedom from foreign or improper idioms or words.

PURL, purl, _v.i._ to flow with a murmuring sound, as a stream over small stones: to ripple: to flow in eddies: to curl or swirl.--_v.t._ to whirl about: to unseat.--_n._ a soft murmuring sound, as of a stream among stones: an eddy or ripple.--_n._ PURL'ING, the act of flowing with a gentle, murmuring sound: the murmuring sound of a small stream. [Prob.

freq. of _purr_; cf. Sw. _porla_, Ger. _perlen_, to bubble.]

PURL, purl, _v.t._ to fringe with a waved edging, as lace: to invert stitches.--_n._ an embroidered border: a hem or fringe of twisted gold or silver thread: a ribbed or wavy appearance caused by inverted stitches: a kind of 16th-cent. lace. [_Purfle_.]

PURL, purl, _n._ ale warmed and spiced.

PURLIEU, pur'l[=u], _n._ the borders or environs of any place: (_orig._) the grounds on the borders of a royal forest, illegally added to the forest, but afterwards restored to their rightful owners, and marked out by perambulation. [Acc. to Skeat, a corr. of O. Fr. _puralee_ (a mere translation of L. _perambulatio_), land severed from a royal forest by perambulation--O. Fr. _pur_ (=L. _pro_), _allee_, a going.]

PURLIN, PURLINE, pur'lin, _n._ a piece of timber stretching horizontally across the rafters underneath to support them in the middle. [Perh. Fr.

_pour_, for, or _par_, through, _ligne_, a line.]

PURLOIN, pur-loin', _v.t._ to carry off to a distance: to take for one's own use: to steal: to plagiarise.--_v.i._ to practise theft.--_n._ PURLOIN'ER. [O. Fr. _purloignier_--L. _prolong[=a]re_.]

PURPLE, pur'pl, _n._ a very dark-red colour formed by the mixture of blue and red: a purple dress or robe, originally worn only by royalty: a robe of honour: the dignity of a king or emperor: a cardinalate, so called from the red hat and robes worn by cardinals.--_adj._ red tinged with blue: blood-red: bloody.--_v.t._ to dye purple: to clothe with purple.--_v.i._ to become purple in colour.--_n._ PUR'PLE-FISH, a shellfish of genus _Purpura_.--_adjs._ PUR'PLE-FROST'Y (_Tenn._), purple with frost or cold; PUR'PLE-HUED (_Shak._), having a purple hue.--_n.pl._ PUR'PLES, petechiae or spots of livid red on the body: a disease of wheat: an early purple-flowered orchid.--_adj._ PUR'PLE-SPIKED, having purple spikes.--_ns._ PUR'PLE-WOOD, -HEART, the heartwood of _Copaifera pubiflora_, used for ramrods.--_adj._ PUR'PLISH, somewhat purple.--PURPLE EMPEROR, one of the largest of British butterflies, and one of the most richly coloured.--BORN IN THE PURPLE, of princely rank or birth; TYRIAN PURPLE, a fine purple dye for which the people of ancient Tyre were celebrated. [O. Fr. _porpre_ (Fr. _pourpre_)--L. _purpura_--Gr. _porphyra_, the purple-fish.]

PURPORT, pur'p[=o]rt, _n._ design: meaning: signification.--_v.t._ (also PURPORT') to give out as its meaning: to convey to the mind: to seem to mean--often with an infinitive clause as its object.--_adj._ PUR'PORTLESS.

[O. Fr., from _pur_ (Fr. _pour_)--L. _pro_, for, _porter_--L. _port[=a]re_, to carry.]

PURPOSE, pur'pos, _n._ idea or aim kept before the mind as the end of effort: aim, intention: effect: (_Spens._) conversation: (_pl._) a sort of conversational game.--OF, or ON, PURPOSE, with design, intentionally; TO THE PURPOSE, to the point, or material to the question. [O. Fr. _pourpos_, _propos_--L. _propositum_, a thing intended--_pro_, forward, _pon[)e]re_, _positum_, to place.]

PURPOSE, pur'pos, _v.t._ to intend (often followed by an infinitive or participial clause as its object).--_v.i._ to have an intention: (_Spens._) to discourse.--_adj._ PUR'POSEFUL, having an object: full of meaning.--_adv._ PUR'POSEFULLY.--_n._ PUR'POSEFULNESS.--_adj._ PUR'POSELESS, without purpose or effect: aimless.--_adv._ PUR'POSELESSLY.--_n._ PUR'POSELESSNESS.--_adj._ PUR'POSE-LIKE, having a definite purpose: having the appearance of being fit for a purpose.--_adv._ PUR'POSELY, with purpose: intentionally.--_n._ PUR'POSER.--_adj._ PUR'POSIVE, having an aim: (_biol._) functional.--_n._ PUR'POSIVENESS. [O.

Fr. _purposer_, form of _proposer_, influenced by Fr. _propos_.]

PURPRISE, pur-pr[=i]z', _n._ an enclosure: the whole compass of a manor.--_n._ PURPREST'URE, a private encroachment upon a public highway, &c. [O. Fr. _pourpris_--_pour_, for, _prendre_--L. _prehend[)e]re_, to take.]

PURPURA, pur'p[=u]-ra, _n._ a genus of marine gasteropods: an eruption of small purple spots, caused by extravasation of blood in the skin--also called the _Purples_.--_adj._ PUR'PUR[=A]TE, of purple colour.--_n._ PUR'PURE, purple.--_adjs._ PURP[=U]'REAL, purple; PURP[=U]'RIC, relating to purpura. [L.,--Gr. _porphyra_.]

PURR, PUR, pur, _v.i._ to utter a low, murmuring sound, as a cat when pleased: to signify by, or as by, purring.--_ns._ PURR; PURR'ING, the low, murmuring sound of a cat.--_adv._ PURR'INGLY. [Imit.]

PURSE, purs, _n._ a small bag for money, orig. made of skin: a sum of money, esp. a sum given as a present or offered as a prize: a treasury: a person's finances.--_v.t._ to put into a purse: to contract as the mouth of a purse: to draw into folds or wrinkles.--_n._ PURSE'-BEAR'ER, one who has charge of the purse of another: a treasurer.--_adj._ PURSE'-BEAR'ING, pouched, marsupiate.--_ns._ PURSE'FUL, as much as a purse can hold: enough to fill a purse; PURSE'-MOUTH (_Tenn._), a pursed-up mouth; PURSE'-NET, a kind of net that can be closed like a purse; PURSE'-PRIDE.--_adj._ PURSE'-PROUD, proud of one's purse or wealth: insolent from wealth.--_ns._ PURS'ER, an officer who has charge of the provisions, clothing, and accounts of a ship, now termed a 'paymaster;' PURS'ERSHIP; PURSE'-SEINE, a seine which can be pursed into the shape of a bag.--_n.pl._ PURSE'-STRINGS, the strings fastening a purse.--_n._ PURSE'-TAK'ING, robbing.--A LIGHT, or EMPTY, PURSE, poverty; A LONG, or HEAVY, PURSE, riches; PRIVY PURSE, an allowance for the private expenses of the British sovereign: an officer in the royal household who pays the sovereign the grant of the civil list for his private expenses. [O. Fr. _borse_ (Fr. _bourse_)--Low L. _bursa_--Gr.

_byrsa_, a hide.]

PURSLANE, PURSLAIN, purs'l[=a]n, _n._ an annual plant, frequently used in salads. [O. Fr. _porcelaine_--L. _porcilaca_, _portulaca_.]

PURSUE, pur-s[=u]', _v.t._ to follow after in order to overtake: to follow with haste: to chase: to follow up: to be engaged in: to carry on: to seek to obtain: to seek to injure: to imitate: to continue.--_v.i._ to follow: to go on or continue: to act as a prosecutor at law.--_n._ (_Spens._) pursuit.--_adj._ PURS[=U]'ABLE.--_n._ PURS[=U]'ANCE, the act of pursuing or following out: process: consequence.--_adj._ PURS[=U]'ANT, done while pursuing or seeking any purpose, hence agreeable.--_adv._ agreeably: conformably--also PURS[=U]'ANTLY.--_n._ PURS[=U]'ER, one who pursues: (_Scots law_) a plaintiff. [O. Fr. _porsuir_ (Fr. _poursuivre_)--L.

_prosequi_, _-secutus_--_pro_, onwards, _sequi_, to follow.]

PURSUIT, pur-s[=u]t', _n._ the act of pursuing: endeavour to attain: occupation: employment.

PURSUIVANT, pur'swi-vant, _n._ an attendant or follower: a state messenger: an attendant on the heralds: one of four inferior officers in the English College of Arms. [Fr., pr.p. of _poursuivre_, to pursue.]

PURSY, purs'i, _adj._ puffy: fat and short: short-breathed.--_n._ PURS'INESS. [O. Fr. _pourcif_ (Fr. _poussif_), orig. _poulsif_, broken-winded--O. Fr. _poulser_ (Fr. _pousser_), to push--L. _puls[=a]re_, to push.]

PURTENANCE, pur'ten-ans, _n._ that which pertains or belongs to: (_B._) the inwards or intestines of an animal. [_Appurtenance_.]

PURULENCE, p[=u]'r[=u]-lens, _n._ the forming of pus or matter: pus--also P[=U]'RULENCY.--_adj._ P[=U]'RULENT, consisting of, full of, or resembling pus or matter.--_adv._ P[=U]'RULENTLY. [_Pus._]

PURVEY, pur-v[=a]', v.t, to provide, esp. with conveniences: to procure.--_v.i._ to provide: to buy in provisions for several persons: (with _to_) to pander.--_ns._ PURVEY'ANCE, the act of purveying: a procuring of victuals: that which is supplied: the former royal prerogative of pre-emption of necessaries; PURVEY'OR, one who provides victuals: an officer who formerly exacted provisions for the use of the king's household: a procurer. [O. Fr. _porvoir_ (Fr. _pourvoir_)--L.

_provid[=e]re_, to provide.]

PURVIEW, pur'v[=u], _n._ a condition or disposition: the part of a statute beginning with 'Be it enacted:' scope: limits. [O. Fr.

_pourvieu_--_pourvoir_, to provide.]

PUS, pus, _n._ a thick yellowish fluid exuded from inflamed tissues: that which has become putrid. [L. _pus_, _puris_, matter; akin to Gr. _pyon_.]

PUSEYISM, p[=u]'zi-izm, _n._ a name given to the High Church and Catholic principles of Dr E. B. _Pusey_ (1800-82), and other Oxford divines, as set forth in 'Tracts for the Times.'--_adjs._ P[=U]SEYIST'IC, -AL.--_n._ P[=U]'SEYITE, one who holds the views of Dr Pusey.

PUSH, p[=oo]sh, _v.t._ to thrust or press against: to drive by pressure: to press forward: to urge: to press hard: to thrust, as with a sword.--_v.i._ to make a thrust: to make an effort: to press against: to burst out.--_n._ a thrust: an impulse: assault: effort: exigence: (_Bacon_) a pustule, a pimple, eruption.--_n._ PUSH'ER, one who pushes: a stem or rod.--_adj._ PUSH'ING, pressing forward in business: enterprising: vigorous.--_n._ PUSH'ING-JACK, an implement for starting a railway-carriage, &c.--_adv._ PUSH'INGLY.--_n._ PUSH'-PIN (_Shak._), a children's game in which pins are pushed alternately. [Fr. _pousser_--L. _puls[=a]re_, freq. of _pell[)e]re_, _pulsum_, to beat.]

PUSHTU, PUSHTOO, push't[=oo], _n._ the language of the Afghans proper.--Also PUSH'TO. [Afghan.]

PUSILLANIMOUS, p[=u]-si-lan'i-mus, _adj._ wanting firmness of mind: of small courage: having a little mind: mean-spirited: cowardly.--_adv._ PUSILLAN'IMOUSLY.--_ns._ PUSILLAN'IMOUSNESS, PUSILLANIM'ITY, state or quality of being weak-minded: lack of spirit or courage: timidity. [L.

_pusillanimis_--_pusillus_, very little, _animus_, the mind.]

PUSS, p[=oo]s, _n._ a familiar name for a cat: a hare, in sportsmen's language: a playful name for a child or a girl.--_ns._ PUSS'-CLOV'ER, the rabbit's foot or stone-clover; PUSS'-GEN'TLEMAN, a dandy; PUSS'-MOTH, a moth of the genus Cerura; PUSS'-TAIL, a common grass with bristly spikes, belonging to the genus Setaria--also called _Foxtail_; PUSS'Y, a dim. of _puss_--also PUSS'Y-CAT; PUSS'Y-CAT, the silky catkin of various willows; PUSS'Y-WILL'OW, a common American willow, _Salix discolor_, with silky spring catkins.--PUSS IN THE CORNER, a children's game in which the places are continually being changed, while the player who is out tries to secure one of them. [Dut. _poes_, puss; Ir. and Gael. _pus_, a cat.]

PUSTULE, pus't[=u]l, _n._ a small pimple containing pus: anything like a pustule, on plants or animals: a small blister.--_adjs._ PUS'T[=U]LAR, PUS'T[=U]LOUS, covered with pustules.--_v.t._ PUS'T[=U]L[=A]TE, to form into pustules.--_n._ PUST[=U]L[=A]'TION. [Fr.,--L. _pustula_, a pimple.]

PUT, p[=oo]t, _v.t._ to push or thrust: to cast, throw: to drive into action: to throw suddenly, as a word: to set, lay, or deposit: to bring into any state or position: to offer: to propose: to express, state: to apply: to oblige: to incite: to add.--_v.i._ to place: to turn:--_pr.p._ putting (p[=oo]t'-); _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ put.--_n._ a push or thrust: a cast, throw, esp. of a heavy stone from the shoulder (see PUTTING): an attempt: a game at cards: a contract by which one person, in consideration of a certain sum of money paid to another, acquires the privilege of selling or delivering to the latter within a certain time certain securities or commodities, at a stipulated price (see OPTIONS).--_ns._ PUT'-OFF, -BY, an excuse, a makeshift, evasion; PUT'TER, one who puts.--PUT ABOUT, to change the course, as of a ship: to put to inconvenience, trouble: to publish; PUT AN END, or stop, to, to check, hinder: cause to discontinue; PUT AWAY, to renounce, to divorce; PUT BACK, to push backward: to delay: to say nay; PUT BY, to lay aside: to divert: to store up; PUT DOWN, to crush: to degrade: (_Shak._) to confute: to enter, as a name: (_rare_) to give up: to start for; PUT FOR, to set out vigorously towards a place; PUT FORTH, to extend: to propose: to publish: to exert: to depart; PUT IN, to introduce: to hand in: to appoint: to insert: to conduct a ship into a harbour; PUT IN FOR, to put in an application or claim for; PUT IN MIND, to bring to one's memory; PUT OFF, to lay aside: to baffle or frustrate: to defer or delay: to push from shore: (_Shak._) to discard; PUT ON, or UPON, to invest: to impute: to assume: to promote: to instigate: to impose upon: to hasten: to inflict: to deceive, trick: to foist or palm upon; PUT OUT, to expel, to extinguish: to place at interest: to extend: to publish: to disconcert: to offend: to expend: to dislocate; PUT OVER (_Shak._), to refer: to send: to defer: to place in authority; PUT THE CASE, PUT CASE, suppose the case to be; PUT THE HAND TO, to take hold of: to take or seize: to engage in (any affair); PUT THIS AND THAT TOGETHER, to infer from given premises; PUT THROUGH, to bring to an end: to accomplish; PUT TO, to apply, use: to add to: to bring or consign to; PUT TO DEATH, to kill; PUT TO IT, to press hard: to distress; PUT TO RIGHTS, to bring into proper order; PUT TO SEA, to set sail: to begin a voyage; PUT TO, or ON, TRIAL, to test: to try; PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER, to draw a conclusion from certain circumstances; PUT UP, to startle from a cover, as a hare: to put back to its ordinary place when not in use, as a sword: to accommodate with lodging: to nominate for election: (_with_) to bear without complaint: to take lodgings; PUT UP TO, to give information about, to instruct in. [A.S.

_potian_, to push; prob. Celt., as Gael. _put_, W. _pwtio_.]

PUT, put, _n._ a rustic, simpleton. [Perh. W. _pwt_, _pytiau_, any short thing.]

PUT, put, _n._ a strumpet.--_ns._ P[=U]'T[=A]GE, a law phrase for a woman's fornication; P[=U]'TANISM, the habit of prostitution. [O. Fr. _pute_, a whore.]

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