Purple \Pur"ple\, 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.
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2. Imperial; regal; -- so called from the color having been
an emblem of imperial authority.
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Hide in the dust thy purple pride. --Shelley.
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3. Blood-red; bloody.
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May such purple tears be alway shed. --Shak.
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I view a field of blood,
And Tiber rolling with a purple blood. --Dryden.
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{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}.
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