Pearl

pėrl, n. a well-known shining gem, found in several kinds of shellfish, but most esp. in the mother-of-pearl oyster: anything round and clear: anything very precious: a jewel: a white speck or film on the eye: ( print. ) a size of type immediately above diamond, equal to 5 points (about 15 lines to the inch).— adj. made of, or belonging to, pearls.— v.t. to set or adorn with pearls: to make into small round grains.— v.i. to take a rounded form: to become like pearls.— adj. Pearlā′ceo us , resembling pearls or mother-of-pearl: spotted with white.— ns. Pearl′-ash , a purer carbonate of potash, obtained by calcining potashes, so called from its pearly-white colour; Pearl′-bar′ley , barley after the skin has been ground off (prob. for 'pilled barley,' Fr. orge perlé ); Pearl′-butt′on , a button made of mother-of-pearl; Pearl′-div′er , one who dives for pearls.— adj. Pearled , set with pearls: like pearls: having a border trimmed with narrow lace.— ns. Pearl′-edge , a thread edging, a border on some ribbons formed by projecting loops of the threads; Pearl′-eye , cataract.— adj. Pearl′-eyed , having a white speck on the eye.— ns. Pearl′-fish′er , one who fishes for pearls; Pearl′-fish′ery , the occupation of fishing for pearls, or the place where it is carried on; Pearl′-fish′ing ; Pearl′-gray , a pale gray colour.— adj. of a pale gray colour, like the pearl.— ns. Pearl′ine , state of being pearly; Pearl′-nau′til us , the pearly nautilus; Pearl′-oys′ter , the oyster which produces pearls; Pearl′-pow′der , a cosmetic for improving the appearance of the skin; Pearl′-white , a material made from fish-scales, used in making artificial pearls: a kind of cosmetic.— adj. Pearl′y , like a pearl, nacreous: yielding pearls: dotted with pearls: clear, transparent: having a pure sweet tone. [Fr. perle , acc. to Diez, prob. either a corr. of L. pirula , a dim. of pirum , a pear, or of L. pilula , dim. of pila , a ball.]