Purse

Purse, purs, n. a small bag for money, orig. made of skin: a sum of money, esp. a sum given as a present or offered as a prize: a treasury: a person's finances.—v.t. to put into a purse: to contract as the mouth of a purse: to draw into folds or wrinkles.—n. Purse′-bear′er, one who has charge of the purse of another: a treasurer.—adj. Purse′-bear′ing, pouched, marsupiate.—ns. Purse′ful, as much as a purse can hold: enough to fill a purse; Purse′-mouth (Tenn.), a pursed-up mouth; Purse′-net, a kind of net that can be closed like a purse; Purse′-pride.—adj. Purse′-proud, proud of one's purse or wealth: insolent from wealth.—ns. Purs′er, an officer who has charge of the provisions, clothing, and accounts of a ship, now termed a 'paymaster;' Purs′ership; Purse′-seine, a seine which can be pursed into the shape of a bag.—n.pl. Purse′-strings, the strings fastening a purse.—n. Purse′-tak′ing, robbing.—A light, or empty, purse, poverty; A long, or heavy, purse, riches; Privy purse, an allowance for the private expenses of the British sovereign: an officer in the royal household who pays the sovereign the grant of the civil list for his private expenses. [O. Fr. borse (Fr. bourse)—Low L. bursa—Gr. byrsa, a hide.]