purse

purse
1 noun
1 (C) BrE a small container for keeping coins in, made of leather, cloth, plastic etc, used especially by women; change purse AmE: She took a pound coin out of her purse. | Hayley snapped her purse shut.
2 (C) BrE a small flat leather container divided into parts for keeping paper money, cards, coins etc in, and used especially by women; wallet AmE: Check my purse. I think I've only got a twenty pound note.
3 (C) AmE a bag, often made of leather, in which a woman carries her money and personal things; handbag BrE: She reached in her purse and took out a mirror.
4 (singular) formal the amount of money that a person, organization, or country has available to spend: It was an expense that my purse could not afford. | the public purse (=money controlled by a government): These defence commitments are a continuing drain on the public purse.
5 (C) the amount of money given to someone who wins a boxing match
6 hold/control the purse strings to control the money in a family, company etc: Maureen definitely holds the purse strings.
2 verb purse your lips to bring your lips together tightly into a small circle, especially to show disapproval or doubt: Mrs Biddell pursed her lips and stared.

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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  • purse — [pɜːs ǁ pɜːrs] noun [singular] 1. the amount of money that a person, organization, or country has available to spend: • We offer holidays to suit every purse. 2. the public purse ECONOMICS the money controlled by a government: • The project is a… …   Financial and business terms

  • Purse — Purse, n. [OE. purs, pors, OF. burse, borse, bourse, F. bourse, LL. bursa, fr. Gr. ? hide, skin, leather. Cf. {Bourse}, {Bursch}, {Bursar}, {Buskin}.] 1. A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to carry… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Purse — Purse, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Pursed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Pursing}.] 1. To put into a purse. [1913 Webster] I will go and purse the ducats straight. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To draw up or contract into folds or wrinkles, like the mouth of a purse; to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • purse — (n.) O.E. pursa little bag made of leather, from M.L. bursa purse (Cf. O.Fr. borse, 12c., Fr. bourse), from L.L., variant of byrsa hide, from Gk. byrsa hide, leather. Change of b to p perhaps by infl. of O.E. pusa, O.N. posi …   Etymology dictionary

  • purse — [pʉrs] n. [ME < OE purs < ML bursa, bag, purse < LL, hide < Gr byrsa] 1. a small bag or pouch for carrying money 2. financial resources; money 3. a sum of money collected as a present or given as a prize ☆ 4. a woman s handbag 5.… …   English World dictionary

  • Purse — Purse, v. i. To steal purses; to rob. [Obs. & R.] [1913 Webster] I ll purse: . . . I ll bet at bowling alleys. Beau. & Fl. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • purse — [n1] tote for carrying personal items bag, billfold, bursa, carryall, clutch, frame, handbag, hide, leather, lizard, moneybag, pocket, pocketbook, poke, pouch, receptacle, reticule, sack, wallet; concepts 339,446,450,494 purse [n2] award;… …   New thesaurus

  • purse — ► NOUN 1) a small pouch for carrying money. 2) N. Amer. a handbag. 3) money for spending; funds. 4) a sum of money given as a prize in a sporting contest. ► VERB ▪ (with reference to the lips) pucker or contract. ● …   English terms dictionary

  • purse — index reward, stake (award), treasury Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • purse — sb. (fk.) (præmiesum ved et boksestævne) …   Dansk ordbog

  • purse — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun 1 (esp. BrE) for carrying money ADJECTIVE ▪ leather ▪ change (AmE) VERB + PURSE ▪ open ▪ snatch …   Collocations dictionary

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