▪ I. purre1
(pɜː(r))
Also 8–9 purr.
[From the voice of the bird, whence also called churre. Cf. pirr n.2, pirr-maw.]
A local name of the Dunlin (Tringa variabilis), esp. in its winter plumage.
It is doubtful whether the name is historically connected with late OE. pur glossing Latin names of some birds.
| [c 1000 ælfric's Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 116/41 Bicoca, hæferblæte, uel pur [? = snipe]. a 1100 Ags. Voc. ibid. 285/10 Onagratulus, raradumbla, þæt his pur [? = bittern].] 1611 Cotgr., Alouette de mer, the little sea foule called, a Purre. 1678 Ray Willughby's Ornith. iii. xiii. §1 These Birds live about the Sea shores, and fly together in flocks. At Westchester they call them Purres. 1688 Holme Armoury ii. 279/2 In Chester we call..the Stint, or Junco..Purres; they fly together by the Sea and Water side, in great flocks. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1862) II. vi. x. 190 Small birds of the crane kind,..the Dunlin, the Purre, and the Stint. 1837 R. Dunn Ornith. Orkney & Shetl. 88 In consequence of their change of plumage, they [dunlins] are considered to be a distinct species, and are then called the Purre or Stint. |
▪ II. † purre2, purr Obs.
Also 7 pur.
[Origin unascertained.]
Water cider, ciderkin, perkin. (But see also quot. 1725.)
| 1669 Worlidge Syst. Agric. (1681) 142 The Feces..will not be lost, if you put it upon the Chaff, for then it meliorates your Pur, or Water-Cider, if you make any. 1676 ― Cyder (1691) 113 Your cider will then be the worse, and so will your purre or ciderkin. 1725 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v., Ciderkin or Purre, a Drink for the meaner Sort of People. Ibid. s.v. Seminary, After having made any Cyder, Verjuice or Perry, they take the Must or Purr, which is the Substance of the Fruit, after the Juice is press'd out. c 1791 [see perkin2]. |
▪ III. purre
obs. form of purr n.1, a., int.
▪ IV. purre, purre-maw
dial. var. pirr n.2, pirr-maw, the tern.