"pure" - meanings, definitions, synonyms, thesaurus and antonyms

\Pure\, a. [Compar. {Purer}; superl. {Purest}.] [OE. pur,
F. pur, fr. L. purus; akin to putus pure, clear, putare to
clean, trim, prune, set in order, settle, reckon, consider,
think, Skr. p? to clean, and perh. E. fire. Cf. {Putative}.]
1. Separate from all heterogeneous or extraneous matter; free
   from mixture or combination; clean; mere; simple; unmixed;
   as, pure water; pure clay; pure air; pure compassion.

         The pure fetters on his shins great.  --Chaucer.

         A guinea is pure gold if it has in it no alloy. --I.
                                               Watts.

2. Free from moral defilement or quilt; hence, innocent;
   guileless; chaste; -- applied to persons. ``Keep thyself
   pure.'' --1 Tim. v. 22.

         Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a
         pure heart, and of a good conscience. --1 Tim. i. 5.

3. Free from that which harms, vitiates, weakens, or
   pollutes; genuine; real; perfect; -- applied to things and
   actions. ``Pure religion and impartial laws.'' --Tickell.
   ``The pure, fine talk of Rome.'' --Ascham.

         Such was the origin of a friendship as warm and pure
         as any that ancient or modern history records.
                                               --Macaulay.

4. (Script.) Ritually clean; fitted for holy services.

         Thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon
         the pure table before the Lord.       --Lev. xxiv.
                                               6.

5. (Phonetics) Of a single, simple sound or tone; -- said of
   some vowels and the unaspirated consonants.

{Pure-impure}, completely or totally impure. ``The
   inhabitants were pure-impure pagans.'' --Fuller.

{Pure blue}. (Chem.) See {Methylene blue}, under {Methylene}.


{Pure chemistry}. See under {Chemistry}.

{Pure mathematics}, that portion of mathematics which treats
   of the principles of the science, or contradistinction to
   applied mathematics, which treats of the application of
   the principles to the investigation of other branches of
   knowledge, or to the practical wants of life. See
   {Mathematics}. --Davies & Peck (Math. Dict. )

{Pure villenage} (Feudal Law), a tenure of lands by uncertain
   services at the will of the lord. --Blackstone.

Syn: Unmixed; clear; simple; real; true; genuine;
     unadulterated; uncorrupted; unsullied; untarnished;
     unstained; stainless; clean; fair; unspotted; spotless;
     incorrupt; chaste; unpolluted; undefiled; immaculate;
     innocent; guiltless; guileless; holy.