Dictionary

pursy en · ADJ · etymology 1

Etymology

From Middle English pursyf (“short of breath, asthmatic”), probably from Old French pousser (“to push; to breathe with difficulty”); see French poussif (“wheezy”).

Meanings

1. Out of breath; short of breath, especially due to fatness.
   • The chief of the Tramps had a wonderful calculating eye in the observation of distances and the nature of the land, as he proved by his discovery of untried passes in the higher Alps, and he had no mercy for pursy followers. 1904, George Meredith, “Leslie Stephen”, in Miscellaneous Prose, London: Constable, published 1910, page 189:
   • ‘[…] People mutht be amuthed, Thquire, thomehow,’ continued Sleary, rendered more pursy than ever, by so much talking […] 1854, Charles Dickens, chapter 6, in Hard Times. For These Times, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], →OCLC:
   • We now set off in pursuit of her, all but the farmer, who, being pretty fat and pursy, was not for running a race […] 1796, Hannah More, The History of Mary Wood, London: J. Marshall & R. White, page 6:
   • now breathless wrong Shall sit and pant in your great chairs of ease, And pursy insolence shall break his wind With fear and horrid flight. c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv]:
2. Fat and short.
   • Now I will give you a Picture of this Wretch: She is a broad, squat, pursy, fat Thing, quite ugly, if any thing human can be so called […] 1741, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXXI”, in Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […]; and J. Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 146:
   • […] the vicar […] was particularly fond of boys in general. Not so the doctor, a pursy little man with a terrific frown, who hated boys, especially little ones, with a very powerful hatred. 1858, R. M. Ballantyne, chapter 1, in Martin Rattler, London: T. Nelson & Sons, published 1893, page 10:

Forms

pursy en · ADJ · etymology 2

Etymology

From purse (“pucker”) + -y and purse (“small bag for carrying money”) + -y.

Meanings

1. Puckered.
   • “Ah,” she pronounced, and took in Enoch with pursy violated eyes. 1966, Cynthia Ozick, Trust, New York: New American Library, Part Four, 2, p. 413:
   • So Aunt Bell sat down to table—a bony frame, with an anxious green eye, a pursy mouth, and a sweating sickness of bitter words, seeking to break forth at the earliest opportunity. 1861, W. G. Wills, chapter 23, in Notice to Quit, volume 1, London: Hurst & Blackett, pages 242–243:
   • The laundress has bangs And pursy lips And thin hips 1954, Jack Kerouac, “51st Chorus”, in San Francisco Blues: The Book of Blues, Penguin, published 1995, page 52:
2. Purse-proud; vain about one's wealth.

Forms

Deriveds

pursiness · pursily