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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

purse en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /pɛːs/ Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger
  • /peːs/ Liverpool, fair–fur merger
  • /pəːs/ (British, Southern, Standard)
  • /pøːs/ (New-Zealand, Wales)
  • /pɚs/ (General-American)
  • /pɜːs/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
  • (General-American) audio
  • /pʌɾs/ (Scotland)

Etymology

From Middle English purs, from Old English purs (“purse”), partly from pusa (“wallet, bag, scrip”) and partly from burse (“pouch, bag”). Old English pusa comes from Proto-West Germanic *pusō, from Proto-Germanic *pusô (“bag, sack, scrip”), and is cognate with Old High German pfoso (“pouch, purse”), Low German pūse (“purse, bag”), Old Norse posi (“purse, bag”), Danish pose (“purse, bag”). Old English burse comes from Medieval Latin bursa (“leather bag”) (compare English bursar), from Ancient Greek βύρσα (búrsa, “hide, wine-skin”). Compare also Old French borse (French bourse), Old Saxon bursa (“bag”), Old High German burissa (“wallet”).

Meanings

  1. A small bag for carrying money.
    • And then muſt many a man occupie as farre as his purſe would reache, and ſtretche out his legges accordynge to the length of his couerlet. 1550, Steuen Mierdman, The market or fayre of usurers:
  2. (US) A handbag (small bag usually used by women for carrying various small personal items)
    • Master leathercrafter does handcrafted wallets, belts, purses, handbags etc., supporting self and helpers. Good enough to carve fantst art and portraits into leather. 1987 August 15, Robert Benitez, “Personal advertisement”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 5, page 14:
  3. A quantity of money given for a particular purpose.
    • It was a historic and a hefty battle when Myler and Percy were scheduled to don the gloves for the purse of fifty sovereigns. 1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[[Episode 12: The Cyclops]]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC:
  4. (historical) A specific sum of money in certain countries: formerly 500 piastres in Turkey or 50 tomans in Persia.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
purses Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

common purse · purse-proud · finger purse · mermaid's purse · purse-pride · pickpurse · purse snatching · purse snatcher · purseless · pick-purse · purseful · public purse · you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear · sea-purse · purselike · man purse · purse net · make a silk purse of a sow's ear · empty as a pauper's purse · prison purse · sea purse · cut-purse · change purse · gaming purse · mermaids' purse · pursestring · cutpurse · manpurse · belt purse · power of the purse · long purse · coin purse · purse seine · purse crab · hold the purse strings · dispurse · pursemaker · purser · cut one's cloth to suit one's purse · purse puppy · purse string · jail purse · Privy Purse · beggar's purse · shepherd's purse · Sutton Hoo purse-lid · purse-bearer · devil's purse · purseweb spider · murse · lighten someone's purse · pursemaking · the longest purse knocks the persimmon · argument to the purse · purse-string suture · tighten the purse strings · king's purse · loosen the purse strings

Relateds

bursary · reimburse · wallet · bursar · bursa

Synonyms

coin purse (small bag for carrying money) · change purse (small bag for carrying money) · funds (quantity of money) · bursary (quantity of money) · pocketbook (small bag for carrying money) · grant (quantity of money) · handbag (small bag used by women)

Translations (240)

az pul kisəsi (small bag for carrying money) · oc pòrtamoneda (small bag for carrying money) · sh novčànīk (small bag for carrying money) · cs kabelka (small bag for carrying personal items) · io burso (small bag for carrying money) · vi ví tiền (small bag for carrying money) · ur بَٹْوَا (small bag for carrying money) · kk шилан (small bag for carrying money) · bg кеси́я (small bag for carrying money) · es zacuto (small bag for carrying personal items) · fo pengapungur (small bag for carrying money) · be кашалёк (small bag for carrying money) · ug ھەميان (small bag for carrying money) · ary صاك (small bag for carrying personal items) · rmq bolso (small bag for carrying personal items) · el τσαντάκι (small bag for carrying personal items) · sl torbica (small bag for carrying personal items) · hu pénztárca (quantity of money) · az portmonat (small bag for carrying money) · de Geldbeutel (small bag for carrying money) · kk әмиян (small bag for carrying money) · uz sumka (small bag for carrying personal items) · he אַרְנָק (small bag for carrying money) · sv handväska (small bag for carrying personal items) · fi budjetti (quantity of money) · fi määräraha (quantity of money) · gd sporan (small bag for carrying money) · es cigarra (small bag for carrying money) · ca moneder (small bag for carrying money) · pl fundusze (quantity of money) · ko 지갑 (small bag for carrying money) · pdt Jelttausch (small bag for carrying money) · mww hnab rau nyiaj (small bag for carrying money) · uk торби́нка (small bag for carrying personal items) · km ការបូប (small bag for carrying money) · sd پئسن جي ٿيلهي (small bag for carrying money) · ka საფულე (small bag for carrying money) · mk чанта (small bag for carrying personal items) · lo ກະເປົາໃສ່ເງິນ (small bag for carrying money) · ary بزطام (small bag for carrying money) · az cüzdan (small bag for carrying money) · pdt Tausch (small bag for carrying money) · uk гамане́ць (small bag for carrying money) · ar جَرَبَنْدِيَّة (small bag for carrying money) · de Handtasche (small bag for carrying personal items) · unm èmsinutay (small bag for carrying personal items) · fa-ira چَنْتِه (small bag for carrying personal items) · rmq bojtí (small bag for carrying personal items) · es bulto (small bag for carrying personal items) · nb pengepung (small bag for carrying money) · cmn 手提包 (small bag for carrying personal items) · ky капчык (small bag for carrying money) · ja パース (small bag for carrying money) · ms dompet (small bag for carrying money) · it borsetta (small bag for carrying personal items) · da pung (small bag for carrying money) · es monedero (small bag for carrying money) · kmr cizdan (small bag for carrying money) · rmq posi (small bag for carrying money) · gun voxa (small bag for carrying money) · hu (női) pénztárca (small bag for carrying money) · ja 札入れ (small bag for carrying money) · ru де́ньги (quantity of money) · be су́мачка (small bag for carrying personal items) · af handsak (small bag for carrying personal items) · ga mála (small bag for carrying money) · de Portemonnaie (small bag for carrying money) · es bolsa (small bag for carrying money) · cmn 錢袋 /钱袋 (small bag for carrying money) · tl lukbutan (small bag for carrying money) · ro portmoneu (small bag for carrying money) · sh ке̏са (small bag for carrying money) · pl torebka (small bag for carrying personal items) · sd رقم (quantity of money) · hu erszény (small bag for carrying money) · uk то́рбочка (small bag for carrying personal items) · ne थैली (small bag for carrying money) · crs portmonnen (small bag for carrying money) · hu anyagi keretek/lehetőségek (quantity of money) · uz karmon (small bag for carrying money) · fr portemonnaie (small bag for carrying money) · nb pung (small bag for carrying money) · fo pungur (small bag for carrying money) · af beursie (small bag for carrying money) · sk kabelka (small bag for carrying personal items) · mk ташна (small bag for carrying personal items) · lv maks (small bag for carrying money) · hu erszény (small bag for carrying personal items) · tt янчык (small bag for carrying money) · br yalc'h (small bag for carrying money) · sh tòrbica (small bag for carrying personal items) · la crumēna (quantity of money) · fi käsilaukku (small bag for carrying personal items) · tr cüzdan (small bag for carrying money) · uli haagech (small bag for carrying personal items) · pl zasoby finansowe (quantity of money) · cs měšec (small bag for carrying money) · fr portefeuille (small bag for carrying money) · sh tórba (small bag for carrying personal items) · id dompet (small bag for carrying money) · tr portföy (small bag for carrying money) · sq kuletë (small bag for carrying money) · ru бума́жник (small bag for carrying money) · cs peněženka (small bag for carrying money) · nl handtas (small bag for carrying money) · lad monedero (small bag for carrying money) · ro portofel (small bag for carrying money) · pl kabza (quantity of money) · ca portamonedes (small bag for carrying money) · ru мошна́ (small bag for carrying money) · sh kȅsa (small bag for carrying money) · rmq lové (quantity of money) · sl denarnica (small bag for carrying money) · sh но̀вча̄рка (small bag for carrying money) · he תיק (small bag for carrying personal items) · bg сре́дства (quantity of money) · et käekott (small bag for carrying personal items) · hy քսակ (small bag for carrying money) · ro poșetă (small bag for carrying personal items) · sh новча̀нӣк (small bag for carrying money) · bg портмоне́ (small bag for carrying money) · ro pungă (small bag for carrying money) · ro geantă (small bag for carrying personal items) · es bolso (small bag for carrying personal items) · ary جايزة (quantity of money) · mn хэтэвч (small bag for carrying money) · pl portmonetka (small bag for carrying money) · sh то̀рбица (small bag for carrying personal items) · ru казна́ (quantity of money) · th กระเป๋า (small bag for carrying money) · sh то́рба (small bag for carrying personal items) · la crumēna (small bag for carrying money) · it borsa (quantity of money) · eo monujo (small bag for carrying money) · ru кошелёк (small bag for carrying money) · sh nòvčārka (small bag for carrying money) · he קופה (quantity of money) · tl lukbutan (small bag for carrying personal items) · ar جِزْدَان (small bag for carrying money) · ur بَٹْوَہ (small bag for carrying money) · hy դրամապանակ (small bag for carrying money) · lo ກະເປົາ (small bag for carrying money) · mi pāhi (small bag for carrying personal items) · fa-ira هَمْیان (small bag for carrying money) · ur پَرْس (small bag for carrying money) · tr el çantası (small bag for carrying personal items) · ga sparán (small bag for carrying money) · prs بَکْسَکِ پیسَه (small bag for carrying money) · sk peňaženka (small bag for carrying money) · ja 財布 (small bag for carrying money) · sw mfuko (small bag for carrying money) · za ngaenzbau (small bag for carrying money) · vi(small bag for carrying money) · tg ҳамён (small bag for carrying money) · bg да́мска ча́нта (small bag for carrying personal items) · yi טײַסטער (small bag for carrying money) · la bursa (small bag for carrying personal items) · unm mënutès (small bag for carrying personal items) · ru су́мочка (small bag for carrying personal items) · hi पर्स (small bag for carrying money) · hu ridikül (small bag for carrying personal items) · it borsa (small bag for carrying money) · bn পার্স (small bag for carrying money) · mk кесе (small bag for carrying money) · be то́рбачка (small bag for carrying personal items) · nl handtas (small bag for carrying personal items) · lad kartera (small bag for carrying personal items) · eo burso (small bag for carrying money) · mi pāhi (small bag for carrying money) · it borsellino (small bag for carrying money) · ar جُزْدَان (small bag for carrying money) · he סכום כסף (quantity of money) · km កាបូប (small bag for carrying money) · pt moedeiro (small bag for carrying money) · es bolsa (quantity of money) · tk gapjyk (small bag for carrying money) · ar مِحْفَظَة (small bag for carrying money) · ota بدره (small bag for carrying money) · zza cızdan (small bag for carrying money) · el πορτοφόλι (small bag for carrying money) · grc βαλλάντιον (small bag for carrying money) · pt fundo (quantity of money) · ga mála (small bag for carrying personal items) · hu retikül (small bag for carrying personal items) · pal paywāsag (small bag for carrying money) · ky намыян (small bag for carrying money) · lt piniginė (small bag for carrying money) · uk су́мочка (small bag for carrying personal items) · eo mansako (small bag for carrying personal items) · es cartera (small bag for carrying personal items) · zza kisik (small bag for carrying money) · fi kukkaro (small bag for carrying money) · et rahakott (small bag for carrying money) · lad kuantía de paras (quantity of money) · uk портмоне́ (small bag for carrying money) · lad bolso (small bag for carrying personal items) · fr sac à main (small bag for carrying personal items) · de Geldbörse (small bag for carrying money) · rmq bolsa (quantity of money) · da håndtaske (small bag for carrying personal items) · fr bourse (quantity of money) · et kukkur (small bag for carrying money) · rmq monedero (small bag for carrying money) · uz hamyon (small bag for carrying money) · vi bóp (small bag for carrying money) · ne पर्स (small bag for carrying money) · pt bolsa (small bag for carrying personal items) · mk паричник (small bag for carrying money) · cmn 錢包 /钱包 (small bag for carrying money) · izh kukkoro (small bag for carrying money) · fr bourse (small bag for carrying money) · sd بٽوئو (small bag for carrying money) · fi rahapussi (small bag for carrying money) · ka ქისა (small bag for carrying money) · ru су́мка (small bag for carrying personal items) · mi puhera (small bag for carrying personal items) · hi बटुआ (small bag for carrying money) · mk портмоне́ (small bag for carrying money) · da pengepung (small bag for carrying money) · la reticulum (small bag for carrying personal items) · nb håndveske (small bag for carrying personal items) · sv portmonnä (small bag for carrying money) · pl portfel (small bag for carrying money) · sq punjashe (small bag for carrying money) · or ଗାଞ୍ଜିଆ (small bag for carrying money) · mn түрийвч (small bag for carrying money) · be партманэ́т (small bag for carrying money) · fa-ira کیفِ پول (small bag for carrying money) · my ပိုက်ဆံအိတ် (small bag for carrying money) · sq punjashe (small bag for carrying personal items) · yue 銀包 /银包 (small bag for carrying money) · it portafoglio (small bag for carrying money) · lad faldikera (small bag for carrying money) · de Beutel (small bag for carrying money) · ru портмоне́ (small bag for carrying money) · fi rahakukkaro (small bag for carrying money) · bg портфе́йл (small bag for carrying money) · de Börse (small bag for carrying money) · sd پرس (small bag for carrying personal items) · es bolsa (small bag for carrying personal items)

purse en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /pɛːs/ Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger
  • /peːs/ Liverpool, fair–fur merger
  • /pəːs/ (British, Southern, Standard)
  • /pøːs/ (New-Zealand, Wales)
  • /pɚs/ (General-American)
  • /pɜːs/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
  • (General-American) audio
  • /pʌɾs/ (Scotland)

Etymology

From Middle English purs, from Old English purs (“purse”), partly from pusa (“wallet, bag, scrip”) and partly from burse (“pouch, bag”). Old English pusa comes from Proto-West Germanic *pusō, from Proto-Germanic *pusô (“bag, sack, scrip”), and is cognate with Old High German pfoso (“pouch, purse”), Low German pūse (“purse, bag”), Old Norse posi (“purse, bag”), Danish pose (“purse, bag”). Old English burse comes from Medieval Latin bursa (“leather bag”) (compare English bursar), from Ancient Greek βύρσα (búrsa, “hide, wine-skin”). Compare also Old French borse (French bourse), Old Saxon bursa (“bag”), Old High German burissa (“wallet”).

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To press (one's lips) in and together so that they protrude.
    • When you're feeling in the dumps Don't be silly chumps Just purse your lips and whistle – that's the thing. 1979, Monty Python, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life:
    • 1901, Matilde Serao, The Land of Cockayne, translator not credited, London: Heinemann, Chapter IV, p. 72, https://archive.org/details/landofcockayne00seraiala The serving Sister pursed up her lips to remind him of the cloistral rule, almost as if she wanted to prevent any conversation between him and the nun.
    • Anton Ivanovich pursed up his lower lip so that his grey moustache pressed against the tip of his red pitted nose, took in all the officials with his rounded eyes, and after an unavoidable pause emitted a fat unctuous laugh. 1916, Leonid Andreyev, “An Original”, in W. H. Lowe, transl., The Little Angel and Other Stories, New York: Alfred Knopf, page 85:
    • […] Yidinj has just one prefix dja:- 'in the direction of' […]. There is a noun djawa 'mouth' in a number of neighbouring languages […] and it is likely that this developed into the prefix dja:-. The semantic motivation would be the fact that Aborigines typically indicate direction by pointing with pursed lips (in circumstances where Europeans would extend a hand or index finger). 2002, R.M.W. Dixon, chapter 9, in Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development, Cambridge University Press, published 2004, page 403:
  2. To draw up or contract into folds or wrinkles; to pucker; to knit.
    • Upon hearing Billy's version, the sage Dansker seemed to divine more than he was told; and after a little meditation during which his wrinkles were pursed as into a point, quite effacing for the time that quizzing expression his face sometimes wore, "Didn't I say so, Baby Budd?" 1888–1891, Herman Melville, “[Billy Budd, Foretopman.] Chapter XIII.”, in Billy Budd and Other Stories, London: John Lehmann, published 1951, →OCLC:
    • […] thou […] didst contract and purse thy brow together, / As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain / Some horrible conceit: […] c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii], lines 1756-9:
  3. To put into a purse.
    • And I will go and purse the ducats straight, c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], line 502:
  4. (intransitive, obsolete, rare) To steal purses; to rob.
    • Why I'll purse; if that raise me not, I'll bet at bowling alleys, or man whores: I would fain live by others. 1647–1679, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “Scornful Lady”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act I, scene i:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
pursed Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
pursed Tense=Past lexicographic
purses Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
pursing Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Deriveds

pursy · unpurse

Synonyms

pucker · round

Translations (49)

fi suipistaa (to press (the lips) together) · bg набръчквам (to pucker) · sh naškubiti (to press (the lips) together) · sd چپن کي ڀيچڻ (to press (the lips) together) · lad frunsir los bezos (to press (the lips) together) · ary كمش (to pucker) · pl odymać (to pucker) · pl wydąć (to pucker) · cmn 抿嘴 (to press (the lips) together) · he קפץ שפתיים (to press (the lips) together) · bg свивам (to press (the lips) together) · hu csucsorít (to press (the lips) together) · ga crap (to press (the lips) together) · sh napućiti (to press (the lips) together) · sd سڪيڙڻ (to pucker) · la corrugare (to pucker) · pl zacisnąć (to press (the lips) together) · pl ściągnąć (to press (the lips) together) · fr pincer les lèvres (to press (the lips) together) · lad arrugar (to pucker) · pl zaciskać (to press (the lips) together) · lad frunsir (to pucker) · sv snörpa (to press (the lips) together) · hu csücsörít (to press (the lips) together) · cmn 皱起 (to pucker) · rif ziyyer icenfuren (to press (the lips) together) · fr plisser (to pucker) · la labra comprimere (to press (the lips) together) · rmq apretar las murres (to press (the lips) together) · rmq fruncir (to pucker) · de schürzen (to press (the lips) together) · es fruncir (to press (the lips) together) · fr froncer (to pucker) · rif kkmes (to pucker) · ru подбира́ть (to press (the lips) together) · mi whakamito (to press (the lips) together) · he כיווץ (to pucker) · sd گهنجائڻ (to pucker) · pl ściągać (to press (the lips) together) · sl našobiti (to press (the lips) together) · rmq arrugar (to pucker) · ru мо́рщить (to pucker) · pl odąć (to pucker) · es fruncir (to pucker) · fi mutristaa (to press (the lips) together) · pl wydymać (to pucker) · ru поджима́ть (to press (the lips) together) · mi pōtete (to pucker) · sv snörpa (to pucker)