purlieu

[ pur-loo, purl-yoo ]

noun

1. purlieus, environs or neighborhood.
2. a place where one may range at large; confines or bounds.
3. a person's haunt or resort.
4. an outlying district or region, as of a town or city.
5. a piece of land on the edge of a forest, originally land that, after having been included in a royal forest, was restored to private ownership, though still subject, in some respects, to the operation of the forest laws.

purlieu

/ ˈpɜːljuː /

noun

1. English history land on the edge of a forest that was once included within the bounds of the royal forest but was later separated although still subject to some of the forest laws, esp regarding hunting
2. usually plural a neighbouring area; outskirts
3. often plural a place one frequents; haunt
4. rare.
   a district or suburb, esp one that is poor or squalid

Word History and Origins

Origin of purlieu¹

1475–85; alteration (simulating French lieu place) of earlier parlewe, parley, paraley purlieu of a forest < Anglo-French purale ( e ) a going through, equivalent to pur (< Latin prō for, pro ¹, confused with per through) + aller ( alley ¹ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of purlieu¹

C15 purlewe, from Anglo-French puralé a going through (influenced also by Old French lieu place), from Old French puraler to traverse, from pur through + aler to go

Example Sentences

The forest laws still applied in a modified manner to the purlieu.

From Project Gutenberg

Eye of mocker has not seen, nor foot of unbeliever trod this purlieu, the last to receive his blessing.

From Project Gutenberg

It is, in fact, a purlieu where the public-houses are overcrowded and the baths not places of great resort.

From Project Gutenberg

They evidently deemed that a legal purlieu was a better place for 'pickings.'

From Project Gutenberg

This favourite purlieu of London has larger books than mine devoted to its history.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hangout
• haunt
• resort