PURR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does purr mean? 

• PURR (noun)
  The noun PURR has 1 sense:

1. a low vibrating sound typical of a contented cat

  Familiarity information: PURR used as a noun is very rare.

• PURR (verb)
  The verb PURR has 2 senses:

1. make a soft swishing sound

2. indicate pleasure by purring; characteristic of cats

  Familiarity information: PURR used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PURR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A low vibrating sound typical of a contented cat

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("purr" is a kind of...):

sound (the sudden occurrence of an audible event)

Derivation:

purr (indicate pleasure by purring; characteristic of cats)

• PURR (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they purr    ... he / she / it purrs   
Past simple: purred   
Past participle: purred   
-ing form: purring   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make a soft swishing sound

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

birr; purr; whir; whirr; whiz; whizz

Context example:

the car engine purred

Hypernyms (to "purr" is one way to...):

go; sound (make a certain noise or sound)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence examples:

Cars purr in the streets
The streets purr with cars

Sense 2

Meaning:

Indicate pleasure by purring; characteristic of cats

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

make vibrant sounds; purr

Hypernyms (to "purr" is one way to...):

resonate; vibrate (sound with resonance)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

purr (a low vibrating sound typical of a contented cat)

 Context examples 

“I was sure that you would see it in that light,” he purred.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“And is that all?” Wolf Larsen queried, his voice soft, and low, and purring.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The Lion would have preferred a bed of dried leaves in the forest, and did not like being shut up in a room; but he had too much sense to let this worry him, so he sprang upon the bed and rolled himself up like a cat and purred himself asleep in a minute.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

The Professor purred with satisfaction.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I heard a noise behind me like that of a dozen stocking-weavers at work; and turning my head, I found it proceeded from the purring of that animal, who seemed to be three times larger than an ox, as I computed by the view of her head, and one of her paws, while her mistress was feeding and stroking her.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)