n. & v.
n. 1 a (often attrib.) a usu. white or bluish-grey hard mass formed within the shell of a pearl-oyster or other bivalve mollusc, highly prized as a gem for its lustre (pearl necklace). b an imitation of this. c (in pl.) a necklace of pearls. d = mother-of-pearl (cf. seed-pearl). 2 a precious thing; the finest example. 3 anything resembling a pearl, e.g. a dewdrop, tear, etc.
v. 1 tr. poet. a sprinkle with pearly drops. b make pearly in colour etc. 2 tr. reduce (barley etc.) to small rounded grains. 3 intr. fish for pearl-oysters. 4 intr. poet. form pearl-like drops. cast pearls before swine offer a treasure to a person unable to appreciate it. pearl ash commercial potassium carbonate. pearl barley barley reduced to small round grains by grinding. pearl bulb a translucent electric light bulb. pearl button a button made of mother-of-pearl or an imitation of it. pearl-diver a person who dives for pearl-oysters. pearl millet a tall cereal, Pennisetum typhoides. pearl onion a very small onion used in pickles. pearl-oyster any of various marine bivalve molluscs of the genus Pinctada, bearing pearls. pearler n.
[ ME f. OF perle prob. f. L perna leg (applied to leg-of-mutton-shaped bivalve) ]