purfle

pur·fle

 (pûr′fəl)

tr.v. pur·fled, pur·fling, pur·fles

To finish or decorate the border or edge of.

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[Middle English purfilen, from Old French porfiler, from Vulgar Latin *prōfīlāre : Latin prō-, forth; see pro-¹ + Latin fīlum, thread; see g^whī- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

purfle

(ˈpɜːfəl)

n

1. (Clothing & Fashion) a ruffled or curved ornamental band, as on clothing, furniture, etc

2. (Art Terms) a ruffled or curved ornamental band, as on clothing, furniture, etc

vb

3. (Clothing & Fashion) (tr) to decorate with such a band or bands

4. (Art Terms) (tr) to decorate with such a band or bands

[C14: from Old French purfiler to decorate with a border, from filer to spin, from fil thread, from Latin fīlum]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pur•fle

(ˈpɜr fəl)

v. -fled, -fling,
n. v.t.

1. to finish with an ornamental border.

n.

2. Also called pur′fling. an ornamental border, as an inlaid border on a stringed instrument.

[1275–1325; Middle English purfilen < Middle French porfiler to make or adorn a border =por- pro-¹ + filer to spin, derivative of fil thread < Latin fīlum. compare profile]

pur′fler, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

purfle

Past participle: purfled
Gerund: purfling

Imperative

purfle

purfle

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011