A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1473-1512
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Purfel(l, -fele, n. Also: -phell; purphaif (erroneous form).[ME and e.m.E. porfyl (14th c.), purfil, -fyl (Piers Plowman), -file (Lydgate), -fyll, -fyle, e.m.E. also purfell (a1548), purfle, OF porfil (c1215 in Godef.), later pourfil (1316), a border or edge; cf. med. L. perfilum. Of the same origin as mod. Eng. profile.] A border or edge of a garment or piece of clothing material; a purfle. — 1473 Treasurer's Accounts I 74.
½ elne of veluous to eik the purfel of hir govne 1473–4 Ib. 36.
Purfell 1503 Ib. II 225.
For leddir to the purfellis of the said mynever 1503 Ib. 237.
For thre tymir of fyne pured grece to the cuffis, collair, eggis, and purphaif of the said goun 1508 Ib. IV 32.
For ane tymir of ermyngis quhilk ekit the purphell of the quenis goun 1512 Ib. 214.
Blak welvot to be ane braid purfele to ane goun … ; to lyne the purfele forsaid v½ elnes canwes 1512 Ib. 215.
With deip purfele of pampilleoun
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"Purfel n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/purfell_n>
