purse

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a sum of money offered as a prize

   the purse barely covered the winner's expenses

2. 2
   noun

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

   They made the contribution out of their own purse.

3. 3
   noun

   A small bag for carrying money.

   And then muſt many a man occupie as farre as his purſe would reache, and ſtretche out his legges accordynge to the length of his couerlet.

4. 4
   noun

   A handbag (small bag usually used by women for carrying various small personal items)

   Master leathercrafter does handcrafted wallets, belts, purses, handbags etc., supporting self and helpers. Good enough to carve fantst art and portraits into leather.

5. 5
   noun

   A quantity of money given for a particular purpose.

   It was a historic and a hefty battle when Myler and Percy were scheduled to don the gloves for the purse of fifty sovereigns.

6. 6
   verb

   To press (one's lips) in and together so that they protrude.

   1901, Matilde Serao, The Land of Cockayne, translator not credited, London: Heinemann, Chapter IV, p. 72, https://archive.org/details/landofcockayne00seraiala The serving Sister pursed up her lips to remind him of the cloistral rule, almost as if she wanted to prevent any conversation between him and the nun.

7. 7
   verb

   To draw up or contract into folds or wrinkles; to pucker; to knit.

   […] thou […] didst contract and purse thy brow together, / As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain / Some horrible conceit: […]

8. 8
   verb

   To put into a purse.

   And I will go and purse the ducats straight,

Etymology

From Middle English purs, from Old English purs (“purse”), partly from pusa (“wallet, bag, scrip”) and partly from burse (“pouch, bag”). Old English pusa comes from Proto-West Germanic *pusō, from Proto-Germanic *pusô (“bag, sack, scrip”), and is cognate with Old High German pfoso (“pouch, purse”), Low German pūse (“purse, bag”), Old Norse posi (“purse, bag”), Danish pose (“purse, bag”). Old English burse comes from Medieval Latin bursa (“leather bag”) (compare English bursar), from Ancient Greek βύρσα (búrsa, “hide, wine-skin”). Compare also Old French borse (French bourse), Old Saxon bursa (…