Purlieu
Pronunciation : Pur"lieu
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [Corrupted (by influence of lieu place) fr. OF. pural?e, poral?e (equiv. to LL. perambulatio a survey of boundaries, originally, a going through); por (L. pro, confused, however, with L. per through) + al?e. See Pro-, and Alley.] [Written also pourlieu.]
Definition : 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.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913