subs. (venery).—1. The female pudendum: see MONOSYLLABLE: Fr. bourse-à-vits: cf. PRICK-PURSE. Also (2) = the scrotum. Hence, NO MONEY IN HIS PURSE = impotent; PURSE-PROUD = lecherous; PURSE-FINDER = a harlot; &c.
c. 1620. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Little French Lawyer, v. 3.
| And put a good speed-penny in my PURSE, | |
| that has been empty thirty years. |
c. 1720. Broadside Song, ‘The Turnep Ground’ [FARMER, Merry Songs and Ballads (1897), i. 224].
| [When] gently down I L’ayd her, | |
| She Op’t a PURSE as black as Coal, | |
| To hold my Coin when counted. |
2. (colloquial).—A sum of money: a prize, a collection, a gift. Also (generic) = money; resources.
1891. Sporting Life, 3 April. He will send a deposit as a guarantee to keep his appointment if any club or gentleman will give a PURSE for him to face the victorious one in the match referred to.
Verb. (old).—To take purses; to steal.
1609. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Scornful Lady, i. 1. Why I’ll PURSE: if that raise me not I’ll bet at Bowling Alleys.
One or two colloquialisms merit notice: thus, a LIGHT (or EMPTY) PURSE = poverty; a LONG (or HEAVY) PURSE = wealth; SWORD AND PURSE = the military power and wealth of a nation; TO MAKE A PURSE = to amass money; PURSE-PROUD (or FULL) = haughty, because rich (B. E., 1696); OUT OF PURSE = penniless; PURSE-PINCHED = poor; ‘I’ve left my PURSE in my other hose (old), or on the piano’ = a bald excuse for not PARTING (q.v.). Amongst proverbs there are:—‘A full PURSE makes the mouth to speak’; ‘An empty PURSE fills the face with wrinkles’; ‘Ask thy PURSE what thou should’st buy’; ‘An empty PURSE and a new house make a man wise, but too late’; ‘An empty PURSE frights away friends’; ‘A friend at Court is better than a penny in the PURSE.’
1593. SHAKESPEARE, Taming of the Shrew, iv. 3.
| Our PURSES shall be proud, our garments poor; | |
| For ’tis the mind that makes the body rich. |
1615. Fisheries [ARBER, Garner, iii. 635]. [He was] OUT OF PURSE.
d. 1626. DAVIES, Microcosmus [GROSART, Works (1876), i. 14]. Ladies, and Lords, PURSE-PINCHÉD, and Soule-pain’d.
1634. WITHALS, Dictionary. Zonam perdidit: he hath LEFT HIS PURSE IN HIS OTHER HOSE.
1814. EDGEWORTH, Patronage, xix. Dr. Percy’s next difficulty was how to supply the PURSE-FULL and PURSE-PROUD citizen with motive and occupation.
