purse (redirected from loosen the purse strings)

purse  (pûrs)

n.

1. A woman's bag for carrying keys, a wallet, and other personal items; a handbag.

2. A small bag or pouch for carrying money.

3. Something that resembles a bag or pouch.

4. Available wealth or resources; money.

5. A sum of money collected as a present or offered as a prize.

tr.v. pursed, purs·ing, purs·es

To gather or contract (the lips or brow) into wrinkles or folds; pucker.

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[Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin bursa; see bursa.]

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purselike adj.

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purse

Noun

1. a small pouch for carrying money

2. US, Canad, Austral & NZ a woman's handbag

3. wealth or resources: the public purse appeared bottomless

4. a sum of money that is offered as a prize

Verb

[pursing, pursed]

to pull (the lips) into a small rounded shape [Old English purs]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	purse - a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women); "she reached into her bag and found a comb" handbag, pocketbook, bag clasp - a fastener (as a buckle or hook) that is used to hold two things together clutch bag, clutch - a woman's strapless purse that is carried in the hand container - any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another) etui - small ornamental ladies' bag for small articles evening bag - a handbag used with evening wear reticule - a woman's drawstring handbag; usually made of net or beading or brocade; used in 18th and 19th centuries shoulder bag - a large handbag that can be carried by a strap looped over the shoulder
	2.	purse - a sum of money spoken of as the contents of a money purse; "he made the contribution out of his own purse"; "he and his wife shared a common purse" amount, amount of money, sum, sum of money - a quantity of money; "he borrowed a large sum"; "the amount he had in cash was insufficient"
	3.	purse - a small bag for carrying money bag - a flexible container with a single opening; "he stuffed his laundry into a large bag" purse string - a drawstring used to close the mouth of a purse
	4.	purse - a sum of money offered as a prize; "the purse barely covered the winner's expenses" amount, amount of money, sum, sum of money - a quantity of money; "he borrowed a large sum"; "the amount he had in cash was insufficient"
Verb	1.	purse - contract one's lips into a rounded shape round off, round, round out - make round; "round the edges" pooch, pooch out - round one's lips as if intending to kiss
	2.	purse - gather or contract into wrinkles or folds; pucker; "purse ones's lips" wrinkle contract - make smaller; "The heat contracted the woollen garment"

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purse

noun 1. pouch, wallet, money-bag

2. U.S. handbag, bag, shoulder bag, pocket book, clutch bag

noun 3. funds, means, money, resources, treasury, wealth, exchequer, coffers, wherewithal

noun 4. prize, winnings, award, gift, reward

verb 5. pucker, close, contract, tighten, knit, wrinkle, pout, press together

Translations

purse [pəːs] n → monedero;

(US) (= handbag); bolso

vt → fruncir

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purse [pəːs] n (Brit) (for money) → porte-monnaie m inv, bourse f;

(US) (= handbag); sac m (à main)

vt → serrer, pincer

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purse [pəːs] n (Brit) (for money) → Geldbörse f, Portemonnaie nt;

(US) (= handbag); Handtasche f

vt [+ lips] → kräuseln

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purse [pəːs] n → borsellino;

(US) (= handbag); borsetta, borsa

vt → contrarre