What does “purse” mean?
- 1
noun(US) a handbag in which a woman carries money and personal things
She put her phone in her purse.
- 2
verbto press your lips together tightly, often to show disapproval
He pursed his lips and said nothing.
- 3
nounan amount of money available for spending, or offered as a prize
The government holds the public purse.
Purse at a glance
- Part of speech
- noun & verb
- CEFR level
- B1 (intermediate)
- Pronunciation
- /pɝs/ · PURSS
How to use “purse” correctly
In US English a “purse” is a handbag; in British English it is a small wallet for coins. “Purse your lips” is a common tricky sense.
Common phrases with “purse”
- purse your lips
- hold the purse strings
- the public purse
“purse” is on these word lists
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