PEARL

noun a fringe or border.

2. pearl ·noun a light-colored tern.

3. pearl ·noun nacre, or mother-of-pearl.

4. pearl ·vi to resemble pearl or pearls.

5. pearl ·noun a whitish speck or film on the eye.

6. pearl ·noun a fish allied to the turbot; the brill.

7. pearl ·noun a size of type, between agate and diamond.

8. pearl ·vi to give or hunt for pearls; as, to go pearling.

9. pearl ·vt to fringe; to border.

10. pearl ·noun one of the circle of tubercles which form the bur on a deer's antler.

11. pearl ·adj of or pertaining to pearl or pearls; made of pearls, or of mother-of-pearl.

12. pearl ·noun hence, figuratively, something resembling a pearl; something very precious.

13. pearl ·vt to set or adorn with pearls, or with mother-of-pearl. used also figuratively.

14. pearl ·vt to cause to resemble pearls; to make into small round grains; as, to pearl barley.

15. pearl ·noun a capsule of gelatin or similar substance containing some liquid for medicinal application, as ether.

xvi. pearl ·noun a shelly concretion, usually rounded, and having a brilliant luster, with varying tints, found in the mantle, or between the mantle and shell, of certain bivalve mollusks, especially in the pearl oysters and river mussels, and sometimes in certain univalves. it is usually due to a secretion of shelly substance around some irritating foreign particle. its substance is the ·same·as nacre, or mother-of-pearl. pearls which are round, or nearly round, and of fine luster, are highly esteemed as jewels, and compare in value with the precious stones.