Empty purse

Empty purse
Purse Purse, n. [OE. purs, pors, OF. burse, borse, bourse, F. bourse, LL. bursa, fr. Gr. ? hide, skin, leather. Cf. {Bourse}, {Bursch}, {Bursar}, {Buskin}.] 1. A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to carry money in; by extension, any receptacle for money carried on the person; a wallet; a pocketbook; a portemonnaie. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Who steals my purse steals trash. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. Hence, a treasury; finances; as, the public purse. [1913 Webster]

3. A sum of money offered as a prize, or collected as a present; as, to win the purse; to make up a purse. [1913 Webster]

4. A specific sum of money; as: (a) In Turkey, the sum of 500 piasters. (b) In Persia, the sum of 50 tomans. [1913 Webster]

{Light purse}, or {Empty purse}, poverty or want of resources.

{Long purse}, or {Heavy purse}, wealth; riches.

{Purse crab} (Zo["o]l.), any land crab of the genus {Birgus}, allied to the hermit crabs. They sometimes weigh twenty pounds or more, and are very strong, being able to crack cocoanuts with the large claw. They chiefly inhabit the tropical islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, living in holes and feeding upon fruit. Called also {palm crab}.

{Purse net}, a fishing net, the mouth of which may be closed or drawn together like a purse. --Mortimer.

{Purse pride}, pride of money; insolence proceeding from the possession of wealth. --Bp. Hall.

{Purse rat}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Pocket gopher}, under {Pocket}.

{Sword and purse}, the military power and financial resources of a nation. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Complaint of Chaucer to His Empty Purse — (Complaint to His Purse)    by Geoffrey Chaucer (ca. 1399)    One of Chaucer’s best known lyrics, the Complaint to His Empty Purse may be the last poem Chaucer completed. The Complaint, addressed to King Henry IV (who had deposed his cousin… …   Encyclopedia of medieval literature

  • Purse — Purse, n. [OE. purs, pors, OF. burse, borse, bourse, F. bourse, LL. bursa, fr. Gr. ? hide, skin, leather. Cf. {Bourse}, {Bursch}, {Bursar}, {Buskin}.] 1. A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to carry… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Purse crab — Purse Purse, n. [OE. purs, pors, OF. burse, borse, bourse, F. bourse, LL. bursa, fr. Gr. ? hide, skin, leather. Cf. {Bourse}, {Bursch}, {Bursar}, {Buskin}.] 1. A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Purse net — Purse Purse, n. [OE. purs, pors, OF. burse, borse, bourse, F. bourse, LL. bursa, fr. Gr. ? hide, skin, leather. Cf. {Bourse}, {Bursch}, {Bursar}, {Buskin}.] 1. A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Purse pride — Purse Purse, n. [OE. purs, pors, OF. burse, borse, bourse, F. bourse, LL. bursa, fr. Gr. ? hide, skin, leather. Cf. {Bourse}, {Bursch}, {Bursar}, {Buskin}.] 1. A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Purse rat — Purse Purse, n. [OE. purs, pors, OF. burse, borse, bourse, F. bourse, LL. bursa, fr. Gr. ? hide, skin, leather. Cf. {Bourse}, {Bursch}, {Bursar}, {Buskin}.] 1. A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • empty — 01. I d better do some baking; the cookie jar is almost [empty]. 02. The gas tank is completely [empty]; we re going to have to walk. 03. My son does a lot of sports, and he can [empty] our fridge in a single meal! 04. The artist stood in front… …   Grammatical examples in English

  • Empty — Emp ty (?; 215), a. [Compar. {Emptier}; superl. {Emptiest}.] [AS. emtig, [ae]mtig, [ae]metig, fr. [ae]mta, [ae]metta, quiet, leisure, rest; of uncertain origin; cf. G. emsig busy.] 1. Containing nothing; not holding or having anything within;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • empty — adj 1 Empty, vacant, blank, void, vacuous mean lacking the contents that could or should be present. Something is empty which has nothing in it; something is vacant which is without an occupant, incumbent, tenant, inmate, or the person or thing… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Heavy purse — Purse Purse, n. [OE. purs, pors, OF. burse, borse, bourse, F. bourse, LL. bursa, fr. Gr. ? hide, skin, leather. Cf. {Bourse}, {Bursch}, {Bursar}, {Buskin}.] 1. A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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