adj. 1. not limited in use or function.
Syn. -- general-purpose. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. To tinge or dye with a purple color. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A counter or opposing purpose; a contrary aim; hence, that which is inconsistent or contradictory. Shaftesbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pl. A conversational game, in which questions and answers are made so as to involve ludicrous combinations of ideas. Pepys. [ 1913 Webster ]

To be at cross-purposes, to misunderstand or to act counter to one another without intending it; -- said of persons. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To dissuade; to frustrate; as, to dispurpose plots. [ R. ] A. Brewer.

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Empurpled p. pr. & vb. n. Empurpling ] [ Pref. em- + purple. Cf. Impurple. ] To tinge or dye of a purple color; to color with purple; to impurple. “The deep empurpled ran.” Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Impurpled p. pr. & vb. n. Impurpling ] [ Pref. im- in + purple. Cf. Empurple. ] To color or tinge with purple; to make red or reddish; to purple; as, a field impurpled with blood. [ 1913 Webster ]

Impurpled with celestial roses, smiled. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The silken fleece impurpled for the loom. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. pourpartie; pour for + partie a part; cf. OF. purpart a respective part. ] (Law) A share, part, or portion of an estate allotted to a coparcener. [ Written also purpart, and pourparty. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I am forced to eat all the game of your purparties, as well as my own thirds. Walpole. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Purples [ OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. &unr_; the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. &unr_; dark (said of the sea), purple, &unr_; to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure. ] 1. A color formed by, or resembling that formed by, a combination of the primary colors red and blue. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arraying with reflected purple and gold
The clouds that on his western throne attend. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The ancient words which are translated purple are supposed to have been used for the color we call crimson. In the gradations of color as defined in art, purple is a mixture of red and blue. When red predominates it is called violet, and when blue predominates, hyacinth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Cloth dyed a purple color, or a garment of such color; especially, a purple robe, worn as an emblem of rank or authority; specifically, the purple rode or mantle worn by Roman emperors as the emblem of imperial dignity; as, to put on the imperial purple. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and purple, and scarlet. Ex. xxvi. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Hence: Imperial sovereignty; royal rank, dignity, or favor; loosely and colloquially, any exalted station; great wealth. “He was born in the purple.” Gibbon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A cardinalate. See Cardinal. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Zool.) Any species of large butterflies, usually marked with purple or blue, of the genus Basilarchia (formerly Limenitis) as, the banded purple (Basilarchia arthemis). See Illust. under Ursula. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Zool.) Any shell of the genus Purpura. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. pl.(Med.) See Purpura. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. pl. A disease of wheat. Same as Earcockle. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Purple is sometimes used in composition, esp. with participles forming words of obvious signification; as, purple-colored, purple-hued, purple-stained, purple-tinged, purple-tinted, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

French purple. (Chem.) Same as Cudbear. --
Purple of Cassius. See Cassius. --
Purple of mollusca (Zool.), a coloring matter derived from certain mollusks, which dyes wool, etc., of a purple or crimson color, and is supposed to be the substance of the famous Tyrian dye. It is obtained from Ianthina, and from several species of Purpura, and Murex. --
To be born in the purple, to be of princely birth; to be highborn. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Exhibiting or possessing the color called purple, much esteemed for its richness and beauty; of a deep red, or red and blue color; as, a purple robe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Imperial; regal; -- so called from the color having been an emblem of imperial authority. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hide in the dust thy purple pride. Shelley. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Blood-red; bloody. [ 1913 Webster ]

May such purple tears be alway shed. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I view a field of blood,
And Tiber rolling with a purple blood. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Purple bird (Zool.), the European purple gallinule. See under Gallinule. --
Purple copper ore. (Min.) See Bornite. --
Purple grackle (Zool.), the crow blackbird. See under Crow. --
Purple martin. See under Martin. --
Purple sandpiper. See under Sandpiper. --
Purple shell. See Ianthina. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Purpled p. pr. & vb. n. Purpling. ] To make purple; to dye of purple or deep red color; as, hands purpled with blood. [ 1913 Webster ]

When morn
Purples the east. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Reclining soft in blissful bowers,
Purpled sweet with springing flowers. Fenton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A strong, durable, and elastic wood of a purplish color, obtained from several tropical American leguminous trees of the genus Copaifera (Copaifera pubiflora, Copaifera bracteata, and Copaifera officinalis). Used for decorative veneering. See Copaiba. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Purpleheart. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Somewhat purple. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. purport; pur, pour, for (L. pro) + porter to bear, carry. See Port demeanor. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Design or tendency; meaning; import; tenor. [ 1913 Webster ]

The whole scope and purport of that dialogue. Norris.
With a look so piteous in purport
As if he had been loosed out of hell. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Disguise; covering. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

For she her sex under that strange purport
Did use to hide. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Purported; p. pr. & vb. n. Purporting. ] [ OF. purporter, pourporter. See Purport, n. ] To intend to show; to intend; to mean; to signify; to import; -- often with an object clause or infinitive. [ 1913 Webster ]

They in most grave and solemn wise unfolded
Matter which little purported. Rowe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without purport or meaning. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. purpos, pourpos, propos, L. propositum. See Propound. ] 1. That which a person sets before himself as an object to be reached or accomplished; the end or aim to which the view is directed in any plan, measure, or exertion; view; aim; design; intention; plan. [ 1913 Webster ]

He will his firste purpos modify. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

As my eternal purpose hath decreed. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The flighty purpose never is o'ertook
Unless the deed go with it. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Proposal to another; discourse. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Instance; example. [ Obs. ] L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

In purpose,
Of purpose,
On purpose, with previous design; with the mind directed to that object; intentionally. On purpose is the form now generally used. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- design; end; intention; aim. See Design. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Purposed p. pr. & vb. n. Purposing. ] [ OF. purposer, proposer. See Propose. ] 1. To set forth; to bring forward. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To propose, as an aim, to one's self; to determine upon, as some end or object to be accomplished; to intend; to design; to resolve; -- often followed by an infinitive or dependent clause. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Did nothing purpose against the state. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time which is within the memory of men still living. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To have a purpose or intention; to discourse. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a purposed manner; according to purpose or design; purposely. [ 1913 Webster ]

A poem composed purposedly of the Trojan war. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Important; material. “Purposeful accounts.” Tylor. -- Pur"pose*ful*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

a. Having no purpose or result; objectless. Bp. Hall. -- Pur"pose*less*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

adv. With purpose or design; intentionally; with predetermination; designedly. [ 1913 Webster ]

In composing this discourse, I purposely declined all offensive and displeasing truths. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

So much they scorn the crowd, that if the throng
By chance go right, they purposely go wrong. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who brings forward or proposes anything; a proposer. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who forms a purpose; one who intends. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having or indicating purpose or design. “Purposive characters.” Bastian. [ 1913 Webster ]

Purposive modification of structure in a bone. Owen. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is impossible that the frog should perform actions morepurposive than these. Huxley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. & a. Purple. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Probably corrupted (see Prest) fr. OF. pourprisure, fr. pourprendre: cf. LL. purprestura. Cf. Purprise. ] (Law) Wrongful encroachment upon another's property; esp., any encroachment upon, or inclosure of, that which should be common or public, as highways, rivers, harbors, forts, etc. [ Written also pourpresture. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. pourpris, fr. pourprendre to take away entirely; pour for + prendre to take. ] A close or inclosure; the compass of a manor. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., purple, purple fish: cf. F. purpura. See Purple. ] 1. (Med.) A disease characterized by livid spots on the skin from extravasated blood, with loss of muscular strength, pain in the limbs, and mental dejection; the purples. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A genus of marine gastropods, usually having a rough and thick shell. Some species yield a purple dye. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to purpura. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A salt of purpuric acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. purpura purple. See Purple. ] (Her.) Purple, -- represented in engraving by diagonal lines declining from the right top to the left base of the escutcheon (or from sinister chief to dexter base). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of a purple color; purple. [ 1913 Webster ]

A combining form signifying of a purple or purple-red color. Specif. (Chem.), used in designating certain brilliant purple-red compounds of cobaltic chloride and ammonia, similar to the roseocobaltic compounds. See Cobaltic. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. purpurique. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Med.) Of or pertaining to purpura. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) Pertaining to or designating, a nitrogenous acid contained in uric acid. It is not known in the pure state, but forms well-known purple-red compounds (as murexide), whence its name. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Purpuric acid was formerly used to designate murexan. See Murexan. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A dyestuff resembling alizarin, found in madder root, and extracted as an orange or red crystalline substance. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. purpura purple + parere to produce. ] (Biol.) Producing, or connected with, a purple-colored secretion; as, the purpuriparous gland of certain gastropods. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. purpura purple + -genous. ] (Biol.) Having the power to produce a purple color; as, the purpurogenous membrane, or choroidal epithelium, of the eye. See Visual purple, under Visual. [ 1913 Webster ]