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Glite Dictionary
🐱 To make cat sound 🐱 A soft cat sound 🚗 To run quietly
to purr

to purr

13 3.5
To make a soft steady vibrating sound like a running engine
  • verb
  • /pɜr/
: ronronear
  • There was something reassuring about the motor purring behind her.
  • engine purrs
  • motor purred
  • car purred

They can purr, though, and that seems like more than a fair trade.

Examples

  • The Jaguar purred as he threw it around the last deep curve and down a long hill.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • My God, it practically purrs!

    The Cat's Meow (2001)

  • Let my engine purr like a wildcat

    Full Out (2015)

  • I'll purr like a Ferrari!

    Garfield (2004)

  • Larry turned his key in the ignition, and the car purred to life.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • All four generators purring like a kitten.

    Dead Driver (2019)

  • There was no music anymore, just the sound of the BMW motor purring with monotonous precision.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • In the kitchen, the icemaker purrs, pauses, and clanks into a new rhythm.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • The big Honda outboard purred behind me, pushing the aluminum 19-footer ahead at 8 knots.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • The engine purred steadily as we cruised down the highway.

Synonyms

to whirr
vsto purr
24 6.7

To make a soft, steady buzzing sound often from things that move fast like fan blades

is similar but is softer and compared to a cat sound
to whir
vsto purr
23 4.6

To make a soft, continuous sound by turning or moving fast

is softer and more like a cat sound than rapid mechanical noise
to chirr
vsto purr
1 9.9

To make a long high buzzing sound like a grasshopper or cicada

is softer and more low pitched than insect buzzing or trilling
to murr
vsto purr
1 9.9

To make a low soft sound that shows a cat is happy

is mechanical and lacks emotional expression despite similar low vibration
to churr
vsto purr
  • UK
1 9.9

Make a low, vibrating sound that repeats, like a bird or insect

is produced by machines and is softer rather than trilling
to birr
vsto purr
  • UK
1 9.9

To make a soft whirring sound while moving quickly

is softer and continuous resembling a gentle animal vibration

Antonyms

to rattle
162 2.2

To shake something so it makes short, sharp noises

to grind
55 4.8

To make a harsh, grating sound by rubbing two things together

How Loud

to roar
124 1.0
to rumble
  • Literature
79 2.5
to hum
42 1.0
to purr
13 3.5
murmur
30 4.1

Surface Forms

purr infinitive
purred past
purred past participle
purring present participle
purrs third person singular

Etymology

Purr is also used for machines because their smooth, steady noise reminds people of a cat's sound, for example when an engine purrs as it runs well. So when a machine 'purrs' it makes a soft, continuous sound that shows it is running smoothly.