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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

hold the purse strings en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (colloquial, idiomatic) To be in control of spending; to have financial power and responsibility.
    • The power structure of the family is being shared by wives and husbands, mothers and fathers. Both hold the purse strings. 1985, Jerome Hellmuth, Coping with parents, page 62:
    • The other branch was more immediately the representatives of the people, and it was a maxim that the people ought to hold the Purse-strings. 1787, James Madison, The writings of James Madison: comprising his public papers and his private correspondence..., page 158:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
holding the purse strings Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
holds the purse strings Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
held the purse strings Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
held the purse strings Tense=Past lexicographic
hold the purse-strings alternative lexicographic
hold the pursestrings alternative lexicographic

Relateds

power of the purse · public purse · reimburse · bursar · disburse · loosen the purse strings · tighten the purse strings · pull strings

Translations (4)

fr tenir les cordons de la bourse (to be in control of expenditure) · pl trzymać rękę na kasie (to be in control of expenditure) · fr tenir la caisse (to be in control of expenditure) · fi pitää kukkaron nyörit tiukalla (to be in control of expenditure)