pursenoun
uk/pɜːs/us/pɝːs/purse noun (CONTAINER)
A2 [ C ] UK US change purse a small container for money, usually used by a woman:
a leather purse
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wallet
[ C ] US a handbag
More examples
- She tipped the contents of her purse out onto the table.
- She had her purse snatched while she was in town.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Containers for carrying personal possessions
- attaché case
- backpack
- baggage
- billfold
- briefcase
- bumbag
- handbag
- hatbox
- haversack
- holdall
- kitbag
- shoulder bag
- sling
- sponge bag
- sporran
- suit bag
- suitcase
- toilet bag
- toiletry bag
- tote
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purse noun (AMOUNT TO SPEND)
[ C usually singular ] the total amount of money that an organization or government has available for spending:
Having a lot of people out of work places a large drain on the public purse.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Interest & capital
- APR
- base rate
- capital
- capital intensive
- capitalization
- collateral
- fund
- interest rate
- interest-bearing
- lending rate
- money
- nest egg
- Premium Bond
- saving
- simple interest
- stock
- the purse strings idiom
- the smart money
- venture capital
- vested interest
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purse noun (PRIZE)
[ C ] an amount of money that is offered as a prize in a sports competition:
The players in the golf tournament are competing for a purse of £525,000.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Amounts of money
- ante
- appropriation
- balance
- bank
- blood money
- bounty
- buck
- budget
- capital
- circumstance
- float
- have/get your snout in the trough idiom
- living wage
- money supply
- nut
- payout
- pool
- slush fund
- sub
- trough
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Idiom(s)
the purse strings
purseverb [ T ]
uk/pɜːs/us/pɝːs/to bring your lips tightly together so that they form a rounded shape, usually as an expression of disapproval:
"I don't approve of that kind of language," she said, pursing her lips.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Grimacing and frowning
- cloud
- eye
- face
- frown
- furrow
- furrowed
- glower
- grimace
- if looks could kill... idiom
- look
- pout
- raise your eyebrows idiom
- resting bitch face
- roll
- roll your eyes idiom
- sb's face falls idiom
- scrunch
- wince
- withering
- wrinkle
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