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pourlieu |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Pourlieu \Pour"lieu\, n. See {Purlieu}. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Purlieu \Pur"lieu\, n. [Corrupted (by influence of lieu place) fr OF pural['e]e, poral['e]e (equiv. to LL perambulatio a survey of boundaries, originally, a going through); por (L. pro, confused, however, with L. per through) + al['e]e. See {Pro-}, and {Alley}.] [Written also {pourlieu}.] 1. Originally, the ground near a royal forest, which having been unlawfully added to the forest, was afterwards severed from it and disafforested so as to remit to the former owners their rights. Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play. --Milton. 2. Hence the outer portion of any place an adjacent district; environs; neighborhood. ``The purlieus of St James.'' brokers had been incessantly plying for custom in the purlieus of the court. --Macaulay.
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