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Purse vs Pierce - What's the difference?

purse | pierce |

As a noun purse

is a small bag for carrying money.

As a verb purse

is to press (one's lips) in and together so that they protrude.

As a proper noun pierce is

, medieval variant of piers modern usage may also derive from the surname.

purse

English

(wikipedia purse)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A small bag for carrying money.
  • * 1550 Mierdman, Steuen, The market or fayre of usurers
    • And then mu?t many a man occupie as farre as his pur?e would reache, and ?tretche out his legges accordynge to the length of his couerlet.
  • (US) A handbag (small bag usually used by women for carrying various small personal items)
  • A quantity of money given for a particular purpose.
  • * , Episode 12, The Cyclops
    • It was a historic and a hefty battle when Myler and Percy were scheduled to don the gloves for the purse of fifty sovereigns.
  • (historical) A specific sum of money in certain countries: formerly 500 piastres in Turkey or 50 tomans in Persia.

    • Synonyms

    * (small bag for carrying money) pocketbook; coin purse, change purse * (especially US) * (small bag used by women) handbag (especially UK) * (quantity of money) bursary, grant

    Derived terms

    * common purse * make a silk purse of a sow's ear * murse

    Related terms

    * bursa, bursar, bursary * reimburse

    See also

    * wallet

    Verb

    (purs)
  • To press (one's lips) in and together so that they protrude.
  • * 1979 , (Monty Python), (Always Look on the Bright Side of Life)
    • When you're feeling in the dumps
    Don't be silly chumps
    Just purse your lips and whistle – that's the thing.
  • To draw up or contract into folds or wrinkles; to pucker; to knit.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Thou didst contract and purse thy brow.
  • To put into a purse.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I will go and purse the ducats straight.
  • (intransitive, obsolete, rare) To steal purses; to rob.
  • * Beaumont and Fletcher
    • I'll purse : I'll bet at bowling alleys.

    Synonyms

    * pucker

    Anagrams

    * ----

    pierce

    English

    Verb

  • to puncture; to break through
    • The diver pierced the surface of the water with scarcely a splash.
    to pierce''' the enemy's line; a shot '''pierced the ship
  • * Dryden
    • I pierce her tender side.
  • to create a hole in the skin for the purpose of inserting jewelry
    • Can you believe he pierced his tongue?
  • to break or interrupt abruptly
    • A scream pierced the darkness.
  • (figurative) To penetrate; to affect deeply.
    • to pierce a mystery
  • * Alexander Pope
    • pierced with grief
  • * Shakespeare
    • Can no prayers pierce thee?

    Derived terms

    * piercing

    Descendants

    * Japanese:

    Anagrams

    *