pearl

A small, smooth, usually white jewel that forms inside an oyster or a similar sea animal.

• She wore a pearl necklace.
• Divers found a large pearl inside an oyster.
• Are these pearls real?

Common phrases: pearl necklace, cultured pearl, pearl earrings

A small piece of advice or information that is especially useful or wise.

• That little pearl of advice saved me hours.
• The doctor shared a clinical pearl with her students.
• His talk contained several practical pearls for new teachers.

How to use it: a pearl of wisdom (My grandmother shared another pearl of wisdom.)

Similar words: tip, insight

Common phrases: pearl of wisdom, clinical pearl, practical pearl

A sea fish with a flat body, also called a brill.

• The fisherman called the flatfish a pearl.
• The old guide lists pearl among the local fish.
• They caught two pearls in their net.

Similar words: brill

Common phrases: catch a pearl, pearl fish

A pale seabird of the kind called a tern.

• The pale seabird was known locally as a pearl.
• A pearl flew above the fishing boat.
• The old bird list includes pearls and gulls.

Similar words: tern

Common phrases: pale pearl, pearl bird

The smooth, shiny material inside some shells, used to decorate objects.

• The box has a delicate pearl inlay.
• Its handle was decorated with polished pearl.
• They used pearl from shells to make buttons.

Similar words: mother-of-pearl, nacre

Common phrases: pearl inlay, pearl buttons, carved pearl

To decorate something with small round jewels or shiny material from inside shells.

• The artist pearled the crown.
• They pearled the collar with tiny jewels.
• Her wedding gown was carefully pearled by hand.

How to use it: pearl something with something (The maker pearled the crown with tiny white jewels.)

Similar words: embellish, adorn

Common phrases: pearl a crown, pearl a gown

To process something, such as grain, into small rounded pieces.

• The mill pearls barley for cooking.
• Workers pearled the grain before packing it.
• This machine can pearl several kinds of grain.

Common phrases: pearl barley, pearl the grain

To search for small round jewels inside oysters, usually by diving into the sea.

• They pearl in the shallow lagoon.
• His grandfather pearled along this coast for years.
• The divers went out to pearl at dawn.

Common phrases: pearl for income, pearl offshore