A knot or lump that forms on a tree, or a fabric imperfection; also means to finish cloth by removing knots and lumps.
From Middle English 'burl' or Old French 'bourle', possibly related to 'burr'. The word has been used since medieval times for both botanical growths and textile work.
Burls on trees can contain some of the most beautifully grained wood in nature—they're growth abnormalities, but woodworkers pay premium prices for them because the swirled grain pattern is impossible to replicate, and turning a burl into a bowl can be like opening a present.
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