PURSE
Dictionary entry overview: What does purse mean?
• PURSE (noun)
The noun PURSE has 4 senses:
1. a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women)
2. a sum of money spoken of as the contents of a money purse
3. a small bag for carrying money
4. a sum of money offered as a prize
Familiarity information: PURSE used as a noun is uncommon.
• PURSE (verb)
The verb PURSE has 2 senses:
1. contract one's lips into a rounded shape
2. gather or contract into wrinkles or folds; pucker
Familiarity information: PURSE used as a verb is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• PURSE (noun)
Meaning:
A container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Synonyms:
handbag; purse; bag; pocketbook
Context example:
she reached into her bag and found a comb
Hypernyms ("purse" is a kind of...):
container (any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another))
Meronyms (parts of "purse"):
clasp (a fastener (as a buckle or hook) that is used to hold two things together)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "purse"):
clutch; clutch bag (a woman's strapless purse that is carried in the hand)
etui (small ornamental ladies' bag for small articles)
evening bag (a handbag used with evening wear)
reticule (a woman's drawstring handbag; usually made of net or beading or brocade; used in 18th and 19th centuries)
shoulder bag (a large handbag that can be carried by a strap looped over the shoulder)
Meaning:
A sum of money spoken of as the contents of a money purse
Classified under:
Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession
Context examples:
he made the contribution out of his own purse / he and his wife shared a common purse
Hypernyms ("purse" is a kind of...):
amount; amount of money; sum; sum of money (a quantity of money)
Meaning:
A small bag for carrying money
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("purse" is a kind of...):
bag (a flexible container with a single opening)
Meronyms (parts of "purse"):
purse string (a drawstring used to close the mouth of a purse)
Meaning:
A sum of money offered as a prize
Classified under:
Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession
Context example:
the purse barely covered the winner's expenses
Hypernyms ("purse" is a kind of...):
amount; amount of money; sum; sum of money (a quantity of money)
• PURSE (verb)
Meaning:
Contract one's lips into a rounded shape
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "purse" is one way to...):
round; round off; round out (make round)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "purse"):
pooch; pooch out (round one's lips as if intending to kiss)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Gather or contract into wrinkles or folds; pucker
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
wrinkle; purse
Context example:
purse ones's lips
Hypernyms (to "purse" is one way to...):
contract (make smaller)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
