Idioms for pearl
cast pearls before swine,
to offer or give something of great value to those incapable of appreciating it: She read them Shakespeare but it was casting pearls before swine.
Origin of pearl
1
1300–50; Middle English
perle < Middle French < Italian or assumed Vulgar Latin
*perla (> German
Perle, Old English
pærl), for Latin
*pernula (> Portuguese
perola, perhaps Old Saxon
përula), diminutive of Latin
perna sea mussel
OTHER WORDS FROM pearl
pearl·er, noun pearl·ish, adjective pearl·like, adjectiveWords nearby pearl
pear,
pear haw,
pear psylla,
pear thrips,
pear-shaped,
pearl,
pearl ash,
pearl barley,
pearl blue,
pearl city,
pearl danio
Example sentences from the Web for pearler
British Dictionary definitions for pearler (1 of 3)
pearler
/ (ˈpɜːlə) /
noun
a person who dives for or trades in pearls
a boat used while searching for pearls
Australian informal
something impressive
that shot was a real pearler
adjective
Australian informal
excellent; pleasing
British Dictionary definitions for pearler (2 of 3)
pearl
1
/ (pɜːl) /
noun
adjective
of, made of, or set with pearl or mother-of-pearl
having the shape or colour of a pearl
verb
Word Origin for pearl
C14: from Old French, from Vulgar Latin
pernula (unattested), from Latin
perna sea mussel
British Dictionary definitions for pearler (3 of 3)
pearl
2
/ (pɜːl) /
noun, verb
a variant spelling of purl 1 (def. 2), purl 1 (def. 3), purl 1 (def. 5)
Medical definitions for pearler
pearl
[ pûrl ]
n.
A small sphere of thin glass containing amyl nitrite or other volatile fluid, designed to be crushed, as in a handkerchief, so that its contents can be inhaled.
Any of a number of small tough masses of mucus occurring in the sputum in asthma.
Scientific definitions for pearler
pearl
[ pûrl ]
A smooth, slightly iridescent, white or grayish rounded growth inside the shells of some mollusks. Pearls form as a reaction to the presence of a foreign particle, and consist of thin layers of mother-of-pearl that are deposited around the particle. The pearls of oysters are often valued as gems.