1 purse
Pronounced:
/ˈpɚs/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural purs·esMeaning:
1 [count] a US : a usually leather or cloth bag used by women for carrying money and personal things : handbag b chiefly Brit : change purse
2 [singular] : an amount of money that a person, organization, or government has available to use ▪ Many believe the work should be financed by the public purse. [=should be paid for by the government]
3 [count] : an amount of money that is offered as a prize in a competition (such as a horse race, a golf tournament, or a boxing match) ▪ a golf tournament with a million dollar purse
purse strings
◊A person, organization, or government that holds/controls the purse strings makes the decisions about how money is spent. ▪ The museum's board of directors holds/controls the purse strings. When a person, organization, or government tightens the purse strings, less money is available for spending. ▪ School administrators are already tightening (the) purse strings. When a person, organization, or government loosens the purse strings, more money is available for spending. ▪ Companies are expected to loosen the purse strings as the economy improves.