Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Purse
Purse
,Noun.
1.
A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to carry money in; by extension, any receptacle for money carried on the person; a wallet; a pocketbook; a portemonnaie.
Chaucer.
Who steals my
purse
steals trash. Shakespeare
2.
Hence, a treasury; finances;
as, the public
. purse
3.
A sum of money offered as a prize, or collected as a present;
as, to win the
purse
; to make up a purse
.4.
A specific sum of money
; as: (a)
In Turkey, the sum of 500 piasters.
(b)
In Persia, the sum of 50 tomans.
Light purse
, or Empty purse
poverty or want of resources.
– Long purse
, or Heavy purse
wealth; riches.
– Purse crab
(Zool.)
, any land crab of the genus
– Birgus
, allied to the hermit crabs. They sometimes weigh twenty pounds or more, and are very strong, being able to crack cocoanuts with the large claw. They chiefly inhabit the tropical islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, living in holes and feeding upon fruit. Called also palm crab
. Purse net
, a fishing net, the mouth of which may be closed or drawn together like a purse.
Mortimer.
– Purse pride
, pride of money; insolence proceeding from the possession of wealth.
Bp. Hall.
– Purse rat
. (Zool.)
See
– Pocket gopher
, under Pocket
. Sword and purse
, the military power and financial resources of a nation.
Purse
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Pursed
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Pursing
.] 1.
To put into a purse.
I will go and
purse
the ducats straight. Shakespeare
2.
To draw up or contract into folds or wrinkles, like the mouth of a purse; to pucker; to knit.
Thou . . . didst contract and
purse
thy brow. Shakespeare
Purse
,Verb.
I.
To steal purses; to rob.
[Obs. & R.]
I’ll
purse
: . . . I'll bet at bowling alleys. Beau. & Fl.
Webster 1828 Edition
Purse
PURSE
,Noun.
1.
A small bag in which money is contained or carried in the pocket. It was formerly made of leather, and is still made of this material by common people. It is usually of silk net-work.2.
A sum of money offered as the prize of winning in a horse race.3.
In turkey, a sum of money, about f50 sterling, or $222.4.
The public coffers; the treasury; as, to exhaust a nation's purse, or the public purse.Long purse, or heavy purse, wealth; riches.
Light purse, or empty purse, poverty, or want of resources.
Sword and purse, the military power and wealth of a nation.
PURSE
,Verb.
T.
1.
To contract into folds or wrinkles. Thou didst contract and purse thy blow.