[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

french \french\ fre^nch, prop. a. as. frencisc, ll.
   franciscus, from l. francus a frank: cf. of. franceis,
   franchois, fran,cois, f. fran,cais. see frank, a., and
   cf. frankish.
   of or pertaining to france or its inhabitants.
   1913 webster

   french bean bot., the common kidney bean phaseolus
      vulgaris.

   french berry bot., the berry of a species of buckthorn
      rhamnus catharticus, which affords a saffron, green or
      purple pigment.

   french casement arch. see french window, under
      window.

   french chalk min., a variety of granular talc; -- used
      for drawing lines on cloth, etc. see under chalk.

   french cowslip bot. the primula auricula. see
      bear's-ear.

   french fake naut., a mode of coiling a rope by running it
      backward and forward in parallel bends, so that it may run
      freely.

   french honeysuckle bot. a plant of the genus hedysarum
      h. coronarium; -- called also garland honeysuckle.
      

   french horn, a metallic wind instrument, consisting of a
      long tube twisted into circular folds and gradually
      expanding from the mouthpiece to the end at which the
      sound issues; -- called in france cor de chasse.

   french leave, an informal, hasty, or secret departure;
      esp., the leaving a place without paying one's debts.

   french pie french here used in sense of "foreign" + pie
      a magpie in allusion to its black and white color
      zool., the european great spotted woodpecker dryobstes
      major; -- called also wood pie.

   french polish.
   a a preparation for the surface of woodwork, consisting of
       gums dissolved in alcohol, either shellac alone, or
       shellac with other gums added.
   b the glossy surface produced by the application of the
       above.

   french purple, a dyestuff obtained from lichens and used
      for coloring woolen and silken fabrics, without the aid of
      mordants. --ure.

   french red rouge.

   french rice, amelcorn.

   french roof arch., a modified form of mansard roof having
      a nearly flat deck for the upper slope.

   french tub, a dyer's mixture of protochloride of tin and
      logwood; -- called also plum tub. --ure.

   french window. see under window.
      1913 webster
see also:
frank frankish french bean phaseolus vulgaris french berry rhamnus catharticus 
french casement french window window french chalk chalk 
french cowslip primula auricula bear's-ear french fake french honeysuckle 
hedysarum h. coronarium garland honeysuckle french horn cor de chasse 
french leave french pie dryobstes major wood pie french polish 
french purple french red french rice french roof french tub 
plum tub 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

purple \pur"ple\, n.; pl. purples. oe. purpre, pourpre, of.
   purpre, porpre, pourpre, f. pourpre, l. purpura purple fish,
   purple dye, fr. gr. ? the purple fish, a shell from the
   purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. ? dark said of the
   sea, purple, ? to grow dark said of the sea, to be
   troubled; perh. akin to l. furere to rage, e. fury: cf. as.
   purpure. cf. porphyry, purpure.
   1. a color formed by, or resembling that formed by, a
      combination of the primary colors red and blue.
      1913 webster

            arraying with reflected purple and gold
            the clouds that on his western throne attend. --
                                                  milton.
      1913 webster

   note: the ancient words which are translated purple are
         supposed to have been used for the color we call
         crimson. in the gradations of color as defined in art,
         purple is a mixture of red and blue. when red
         predominates it is called violet, and when blue
         predominates, hyacinth.
         1913 webster

   2. cloth dyed a purple color, or a garment of such color;
      especially, a purple robe, worn as an emblem of rank or
      authority; specifically, the purple rode or mantle worn by
      roman emperors as the emblem of imperial dignity; as, to
      put on the imperial purple.
      1913 webster

            thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of
            fine twined linen, and purple, and scarlet. --ex.
                                                  xxvi. 1.
      1913 webster

   3. hence: imperial sovereignty; royal rank, dignity, or
      favor; loosely and colloquially, any exalted station;
      great wealth. "he was born in the purple." --gibbon.
      1913 webster

   4. a cardinalate. see cardinal.
      1913 webster

   5. zool. any species of large butterflies, usually marked
      with purple or blue, of the genus basilarchia formerly
      limenitis as, the banded purple basilarchia
      arthemis. see illust. under ursula.
      1913 webster

   6. zool. any shell of the genus purpura.
      1913 webster

   7. pl.med. see purpura.
      1913 webster

   8. pl. a disease of wheat. same as earcockle.
      1913 webster

   note: purple is sometimes used in composition, esp. with
         participles forming words of obvious signification; as,
         purple-colored, purple-hued, purple-stained,
         purple-tinged, purple-tinted, and the like.
         1913 webster

   french purple. chem. same as cudbear.

   purple of cassius. see cassius.

   purple of mollusca zool., a coloring matter derived from
      certain mollusks, which dyes wool, etc., of a purple or
      crimson color, and is supposed to be the substance of the
      famous tyrian dye. it is obtained from ianthina, and from
      several species of purpura, and murex.

   to be born in the purple, to be of princely birth; to be
      highborn.
      1913 webster
see also:
purples porphyry purpure cardinal basilarchia limenitis 
basilarchia arthemis ursula purpura earcockle french purple 
cudbear purple of cassius cassius purple of mollusca to be born in the purple 

Purple >> P Words
Purple, definition of term: Purple
purple_pag1.html

French >> F Words
French, definition of term: French
french_pag1.html

French Toast >> F Words
French Toast, definition of term: French Toast
french+toast_pag1.html

French Revoluti >> F Words
French Revoluti, definition of term: French Revoluti
french+revoluti_pag1.html

Purple Finch >> P Words
Purple Finch, definition of term: Purple Finch
purple+finch_pag1.html

Purple Martin >> P Words
Purple Martin, definition of term: Purple Martin
purple+martin_pag1.html

Purple Heart >> P Words
Purple Heart, definition of term: Purple Heart
purple+heart_pag1.html

French Leave >> F Words
French Leave, definition of term: French Leave
french+leave_pag1.html

French Kiss >> F Words
French Kiss, definition of term: French Kiss
french+kiss_pag1.html

French Blue >> F Words
French Blue, definition of term: French Blue
french+blue_pag1.html

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