Purl \Purl\, n.

1. An embroidered and puckered border; a hem or fringe, often of gold or silver twist; also, a pleat or fold, as of a band. [1913 Webster]

A triumphant chariot made of carnation velvet, enriched withpurl and pearl. --Sir P. Sidney. [1913 Webster]

2. An inversion of stitches in knitting, which gives to the work a ribbed or waved appearance. [1913 Webster]

Purl stitch. Same as Purl, n., 2. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Stitch \Stitch\, n. [OE. stiche, AS. stice a pricking, akin to stician to prick. See Stick, v. i.]

1. A single pass of a needle in sewing; the loop or turn of the thread thus made. [1913 Webster]

2. A single turn of the thread round a needle in knitting; a link, or loop, of yarn; as, to let down, or drop, a stitch; to take up a stitch. [1913 Webster]

3. [Cf. OE. sticche, stecche, stucche, a piece, AS. stycce. Cf. Stock.]

A space of work taken up, or gone over, in a single pass of the needle; hence, by extension, any space passed over; distance. [1913 Webster]

You have gone a good stitch. --Bunyan. [1913 Webster]

In Syria the husbandmen go lightly over with their plow, and take no deep stitch in making their furrows. --Holland. [1913 Webster]

4. A local sharp pain; an acute pain, like the piercing of a needle; as, a stitch in the side. [1913 Webster]

He was taken with a cold and with stitches, which was, indeed, a pleurisy. --Bp. Burnet. [1913 Webster]

5. A contortion, or twist. [Obs.]

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If you talk, Or pull your face into a stitch again, I shall be angry. --Marston. [1913 Webster]

6. Any least part of a fabric or dress; as, to wet every stitch of clothes. [Colloq.]

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7. A furrow. --Chapman. [1913 Webster]

8. An arrangement of stitches, or method of stitching in some particular way or style; as, cross-stitch; herringbone stitch, etc. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Chain stitch, Lock stitch. See in the Vocabulary.

Pearl stitch, or Purl stitch. See 2nd Purl, 2. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

purl stitch

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
 

Stitch \Stitch\, n. [OE. stiche, AS. stice a pricking, akin to stician to prick. See Stick, v. i.]

1. A single pass of a needle in sewing; the loop or turn of the thread thus made.

2. A single turn of the thread round a needle in knitting; a link, or loop, of yarn; as, to let down, or drop, a stitch; to take up a stitch.

3. [Cf. OE. sticche, stecche, stucche, a piece, AS. stycce. Cf. Stock.]

A space of work taken up, or gone over, in a single pass of the needle; hence, by extension, any space passed over; distance.

You have gone a good stitch. --Bunyan.

In Syria the husbandmen go lightly over with their plow, and take no deep stitch in making their furrows. --Holland.

4. A local sharp pain; an acute pain, like the piercing of a needle; as, a stitch in the side.

He was taken with a cold and with stitches, which was, indeed, a pleurisy. --Bp. Burnet.

5. A contortion, or twist. [Obs.]

If you talk, Or pull your face into a stitch again, I shall be angry. --Marston.

6. Any least part of a fabric or dress; as, to wet every stitch of clothes. [Colloq.]

7. A furrow. --Chapman.

Chain stitch, Lock stitch. See in the Vocabulary.

Pearl, or Purl stitch. See 2nd Purl, 2.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Purl \Purl\, n.

1. An embroidered and puckered border; a hem or fringe, often of gold or silver twist; also, a pleat or fold, as of a band.

A triumphant chariot made of carnation velvet, enriched withpurl and pearl. --Sir P. Sidney.

2. An inversion of stitches in knitting, which gives to the work a ribbed or waved appearance.

Purl stitch. Same as Purl, n., 2.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)