purse Definition
purse (pʉrs)
noun
- a small bag or pouch for carrying money
- financial resources; money
- a sum of money collected as a present or given as a prize
- ☆ a woman's handbag
- anything like a purse in shape, use, etc.
Etymology: ME < OE purs < ML bursa, bag, purse < LL, hide < Gr byrsa
transitive verb pursed, purs′·ing
- Archaic to put in a purse
- to gather into small folds
- to draw (the lips) tightly together, as in disapproval
purse Synonyms
purse
n.
hold the purse strings*
tighten the purse strings*
purse Usage Examples
Object
lip: Full, pursing lips, Waiting perhaps to open, to receive, not sure; Possibly venom to spit.
Converse of object
- embroider: These include printed leather handbags from Kimchi, embroidered silk purses from Alice Caroline and Swarovski crystal belt charms from Virginie Brisset.
- snatch: However, watch out for young men on bicycles who try to snatch purses, handbags or cameras.
- steal: Then there was the time I had my purse stolen in central London.
- zip: Inside is lined with printed cotton fabric and has a side zipped pocket, phone holder and detachable leather zipped top purse.
Adjective modifier
- public: Also by his actions the public purse had suffered to the extent of over £ 400,000.
- electronic: It does not include electronic purses or store cards.
- empty: The empty purses were afterward found in the pocket of the Bishop of the Diocese!
Modifies a noun
- seine: In the Tuna-Dolphin dispute, the US had imposed import bans on tuna caught by the use of dolphin setting with purse seine nets.
- snatcher: Safety The biggest problem facing visitors to Sicily are the hoards of pickpockets and purse snatchers who lurk in the main cities.
- string: His little con job was to rip off the old man who held a tight hand on the purse strings.
Noun used with modifier
- silk: You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.. .
- mermaid: The female holds the developing egg capsules for several weeks before the mermaids purses are released.
- leather: They also treated the leather purses with oil, to soften them down again.
- coin: Inside the lining is clean, with only the coin purse bearing a few marks.
- clutch: Price: £ 50.00 Including VAT Lulu Guinness Friendship, Love & Truth Embroidery Clutch Purse Black satin frame topped clutch purse with handle.
Possessives
- Samaritan: Samaritan's Purse is also addressing the urgent need for clean water.
- mermaid: A real treat was to find a mermaid's purse entwined in the seaweed.
- shepherd: Annual weeds like chickweed, and shepherds ' purse will have already started to flower and set seed.
Preposition: of
sovereign: One old Irishman offered a purse of sovereigns if they would spare him but they were knocked aside and he was thrown over.
Browse dictionary entries near purse
- ‹ purr
- ‹ purpurin
- ‹ purpure
- ‹ purpura
- ‹ purposive
- ‹ purposely
- ‹ purposeless
- ‹ purposeful
- ‹ purpose-built
- ‹ purpose
- purse crab ›
- purse-proud ›
- purse seine ›
- purse strings ›
- purser ›
- purslane ›
- pursuance ›
- pursuant ›
- pursue ›
- pursuing ›

