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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

tighten the purse strings en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (colloquial, idiomatic) To decrease spending or disallow increased spending; to increase control of spending.
    • It's hard for upper management to tighten the purse strings on a project that promises to save money, boost productivity and enable employees to respond better and faster to changing competitive situations. 1989 July 24, editorial, “Companies still backing the efforts of net managers”, in Network World, volume 6, number 29, page 28:
    • ...would have the opposite effect entirely, and would tighten the purse-strings of capitalists and the employers of... 1894, New Zealand Parliament, Parliamentary debates, page 710:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
tightened the purse strings Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
tightened the purse strings Tense=Past lexicographic
tighten the pursestrings alternative lexicographic
tighten the purse-strings alternative lexicographic
tightening the purse strings Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
tightens the purse strings Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

Antonyms

loosen the purse strings

Relateds

hold the purse strings

Translations (4)

it stringere i cordoni della borsa (to decrease or cause to decrease spending) · de den Gürtel enger schnallen (to decrease or cause to decrease spending) · fi tiukentaa kukkaron nyörejä (to decrease or cause to decrease spending) · it tirare la cinghia (to decrease or cause to decrease spending)