(pûrl) v.i.
1. To whirl; turn.
2. To flow with a bubbling sound; ripple.
3. To move in eddies.
—noun
1. A circling movement of water; an eddy.
2. A gentle, continued murmur, as of a rippling stream. ♦ Homophone: pearl. [Cf. Norw. purla gush out, bubble up]

(pûrl) v.t.
1. To purfle.
2. In knitting, to make (a stitch) backward.
3. To edge with lace, embroidery, etc.
—v.i.
4. To do edging with lace, etc. [<noun]
—noun
1. An edge of lace, embroidery, etc.; in lacework, a spiral of gold or silver wire.
2. In knitting, the inversion of the knit stitch giving a horizontal rib effect. ♦ Homophone: pearl. [Earlier pyrle, orig. twisted gold or silver thread <pyrl twist; ult. origin unknown]