purse (pûrs)
n.

1. A woman's bag for carrying keys, a wallet, and other personal items; a handbag.
2. A small bag or pouch for carrying money.
3. Something that resembles a bag or pouch.
4. Available wealth or resources; money.
5. A sum of money collected as a present or offered as a prize.

tr.v., pursed, purs·ing, purs·es.
To gather or contract (the lips or brow) into wrinkles or folds; pucker.

[Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin bursa. See bursa.]

purselike purse'like' adj.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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