PURSE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does purse mean? 

• PURSE (noun)
  The noun PURSE has 4 senses:

1. a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women)

2. a sum of money spoken of as the contents of a money purse

3. a small bag for carrying money

4. a sum of money offered as a prize

  Familiarity information: PURSE used as a noun is uncommon.

• PURSE (verb)
  The verb PURSE has 2 senses:

1. contract one's lips into a rounded shape

2. gather or contract into wrinkles or folds; pucker

  Familiarity information: PURSE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PURSE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bag; handbag; pocketbook; purse

Context example:

she reached into her bag and found a comb

Hypernyms ("purse" is a kind of...):

container (any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another))

Meronyms (parts of "purse"):

clasp (a fastener (as a buckle or hook) that is used to hold two things together)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "purse"):

clutch; clutch bag (a woman's strapless purse that is carried in the hand)

etui (small ornamental ladies' bag for small articles)

evening bag (a handbag used with evening wear)

reticule (a woman's drawstring handbag; usually made of net or beading or brocade; used in 18th and 19th centuries)

shoulder bag (a large handbag that can be carried by a strap looped over the shoulder)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A sum of money spoken of as the contents of a money purse

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Context example:

he and his wife shared a common purse

Hypernyms ("purse" is a kind of...):

amount; amount of money; sum; sum of money (a quantity of money)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A small bag for carrying money

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("purse" is a kind of...):

bag (a flexible container with a single opening)

Meronyms (parts of "purse"):

purse string (a drawstring used to close the mouth of a purse)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A sum of money offered as a prize

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Context example:

the purse barely covered the winner's expenses

Hypernyms ("purse" is a kind of...):

amount; amount of money; sum; sum of money (a quantity of money)

• PURSE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they purse    ... he / she / it purses   
Past simple: pursed   
Past participle: pursed   
-ing form: pursing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Contract one's lips into a rounded shape

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "purse" is one way to...):

round; round off; round out (make round)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "purse"):

pooch; pooch out (round one's lips as if intending to kiss)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Gather or contract into wrinkles or folds; pucker

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

purse; wrinkle

Context example:

purse ones's lips

Hypernyms (to "purse" is one way to...):

contract (make smaller)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

This he finally handed to Lord Godalming, who took out his purse and gave him something.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

These documents I threw to Zambo in the evening, and also my purse, which contained three English sovereigns.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Why, what should make me down-hearted? said he; I am sound in health and rich in purse, what should I care for?

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

"And so have I, sir," I returned, putting my hands and my purse behind me.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Twice Henderson has lashed at folk with his dog-whip, and only his long purse and heavy compensation have kept him out of the courts.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I gave him two purses of two hundreds sprugs each, and promised, when we arrived in England, to make him a present of a cow and a sheep big with young.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Either the fear of the law or the Duke’s purse will certainly get out of them all that they know.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“’Who steals my purse steals trash,’” she quoted.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

I had now leisure to examine the purse.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Put up a small purse, master, and I’ll do you over and proud.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)