purr

3 definitions • 7 examples

to make a quiet, continuous, soft sound:

The cat purred as I stroked its fur.

We could hear the sound of a lawnmower purring in the back garden.

A black limousine purred up (= drove up making a quiet, continuous, soft sound) outside the hotel.

[ + speech ] "I love it when you stroke my back," she purred (= said with pleasure).

a purring noise:

I stroked the cat and it gave a low purr.

I heard the gentle purr of an engine outside the house.

(of a cat) to make a soft, low, continuous sound, or (of a machine) to make a similar sound:

After a tune-up, the car just purred like new.