\Pur"lieu\, n. [Corrupted (by influence of lieu place)
fr. OF. pural['e]e, poral['e]e (equiv. to LL. perambulatio a
survey of boundaries, originally, a going through); por (L.
pro, confused, however, with L. per through) + al['e]e. See
{Pro-}, and {Alley}.] [Written also {pourlieu}.]
1. Originally, the ground near a royal forest, which, having
   been unlawfully added to the forest, was afterwards
   severed from it, and disafforested so as to remit to the
   former owners their rights.
         Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied In some
         purlieu two gentle fawns at play.     --Milton.
2. Hence, the outer portion of any place; an adjacent
   district; environs; neighborhood. ``The purlieus of St.
   James.''
         brokers had been incessantly plying for custom in
         the purlieus of the court.            --Macaulay.