Purler

From purl ("a fall").

Full definition of purler

Noun

1. (UK, colloquial) A headlong fall or tumble.He came a purler on the icy path.
• 1869, “Stonehenge” (editor), The Coursing Calendar for the Autumn Season 1868, Containing Returns of All the Public Courses Run in Great Britain snd Ireland, %22purlers%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TlzxT5TWM8SViAfT6NGNDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22purler%22|%22purlers%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 172,Dilston and Savernake: the latter led, and turned, but in trying to kill came down a purler, which completely knocked all the go out of him; Dilston took possession of the hare, and kept it, winning the course in hollow style.
• 1954, British Broadcasting Corporation, The Listener (magazine), Volume 51, %22purlers%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&dq=%22purler%22|%22purlers%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TlzxT5TWM8SViAfT6NGNDQ&redir_esc=y page 67,Her French-speaking table in the dining-room is a riot of second-rate behaviour and dexterously aimed bread-pellets; the stairs outside her bedroom are relentlessly buttered and she comes purler after purler.
• 1986, Judith Saxton (Katie Flynn), Family Feeling, 2012, %22purlers%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Q3TxT5mfC-etiAeiyo2lDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22purler%22|%22purlers%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false unnumbered page,Yet he was very sure that he had tripped and gone a purler just as he was leaving the Other Place . . . had that made him gash his forehead, once he was back in the pit?
• 2003, Susan Hill, The Boy Who Taught The Beekeeper To Read, The Boy Who Taught The Beekeeper To Read: And Other Stories, 2011, %22purlers%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TlzxT5TWM8SViAfT6NGNDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22purler%22|%22purlers%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false unnumbered page,‘You could hold the ladder,’ Mart said, ‘see I don′t come a purler.’
2. (UK, colloquial) A knockdown blow; a blow that causes a person to fall headlong.
• 1867, Ouida (Maria Louise Ramé), , 2006, %22purlers%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=rWjxT42SC4eOiAeBpeCjDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22purler%22|%22purlers%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 60,...but, falling with a mighty crash, gave him a purler on the opposite side, and was within an inch of striking him dead with his hoof in frantic struggles to recover.

Synonyms

• (headlong fall or tumble)
• (incapacitating blow) king hit Australian

Uncertain.

Alternative forms

• pearler

Noun

1. (Australia, colloquial) Something extremely good.
• 2000, May 12, peter.ryan, Top3 best games of all time, The greatest game ever played is the one marketed with that tag by Australian Football Video:  the 1989 round 6 match at Prince's Park between Hawthorn and Geelong, an awesome display of the skills of the game.  It is doubtful whether two such great sides had ever graced a single season as the Hawks and the Cats did in 1989.  The return match in September was a bit of a purler too, as I recall.
• 2008, December 24, George W, Best way to transport wreck Syd-Tsv., And just when I had a slight thought that there could be a "Lets be nice to George Week"
  And you come along with that purler.