pearl

pearl
pearl [pə:l US pə:rl] n
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
1¦(jewel)¦
2¦(hard substance)¦
3 pearls of wisdom
4 cast/throw pearls before swine
5¦(liquid)¦
6¦(excellent thing/person)¦
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: perle, from Vulgar Latin pernula, from Latin perna 'mussel']
1.) ¦(JEWEL)¦
a small round white object that forms inside an ↑oyster, and is a valuable jewel
▪ a pearl necklace
▪ a string of pearls (=anecklace made of pearls)
2.) ¦(HARD SUBSTANCE)¦[U]
a hard shiny substance of various colours formed inside some ↑shellfish, which is used for making buttons or to make objects look attractive
3.) pearls of wisdom
wise remarks - used especially when you really think that someone's remarks are slightly stupid
▪ Thank you for those pearls of wisdom, Emma.
4.) cast/throw pearls before swine
formal to give something valuable to someone who does not understand its value
5.) ¦(LIQUID)¦ literary
a small round drop of liquid
▪ the pearls of the morning dew
6.) ¦(EXCELLENT THING/PERSON)¦ [C usually singular]
old-fashioned someone or something that is especially good or valuable
pearl among
▪ She's a pearl among women.

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • Pearl — (engl. für „Perle“) bezeichnet: Pearl (Pferdefarbe), ein Gen, das die Fellfarbe von Pferden aufhellt Pearl (Tanz), einen Solo Tanzstil Pearl (Gedicht), ein mittelenglisches Gedicht Pearl (Band), eine US amerikanische Rockband Pearl (Album), das… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Pearl — Pearl, n. [OE. perle, F. perle, LL. perla, perula, probably fr. (assumed) L. pirulo, dim. of L. pirum a pear. See {Pear}, and cf. {Purl} to mantle.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) A shelly concretion, usually rounded, and having a brilliant luster, with varying… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Pearl —   [Abk. für Process and Experiment Automatisation Realtime Language, dt. »Echtzeitsprache für die Automatisierung von Prozessen und Experimenten«], eine höhere Programmiersprache zur weitgehend systemunabhängigen Programmierung von Multitasking… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • pearl — pearl1 [pʉrl] n. [ME perle < MFr < VL * perla, *perula, altered (? after L sphaerula,SPHERULE) < L perna, a sea mussel, lit., a ham: from the shape of its peduncle] 1. a smooth, hard, usually white or bluish gray body of varied but… …   English World dictionary

  • Pearl — Альбом Дженис Джоплин Дата выпуска 1 февраля 1971 года Записан 5 сентября – …   Википедия

  • pearl|y — «PUR lee», adjective, pearl|i|er, pearl|i|est, noun, plural lies. –adj. 1. like a pearl; having the color or luster of pearls: »pearly teeth …   Useful english dictionary

  • pearl — [ pɜrl ] noun * 1. ) count a small round jewel that is white and shiny and that grows inside the shell of an OYSTER: a string of pearls a pearl necklace a ) an artificial jewel like this 2. ) uncount a hard substance that is inside some shells… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Pearl — Pearl, IL U.S. village in Illinois Population (2000): 187 Housing Units (2000): 96 Land area (2000): 1.506776 sq. miles (3.902531 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.086843 sq. miles (0.224922 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.593619 sq. miles (4.127453 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • pearl — (n.) mid 13c., from O.Fr. perle (13c.), M.L. perla (mid 13c.), of unknown origin. Perhaps from V.L. *pernula, dim. of L. perna in Sicily, pearl, earlier sea mussel, lit. ham, so called for the shape of the mollusk shells. Another theory connects… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Pearl — Pearl, a. Of or pertaining to pearl or pearls; made of pearls, or of mother of pearl. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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