purse
.
Searchable Lemmata: purs (OE), purse (ME), pursa (L), purse (MdE).
Alternate Forms: pers, porce, porese, pors, porse, pours, pourse, purce, pursse, purses, pursys, purus.
Definitions and Defining Citations:
1a(n.)
Accessory;
a pouch or bag made of cloth or leather; a pouch, bag or wallet used to hold valuables, money, etc.; a receptacle to receive offerings. Also, the contents of the purse (valuables, money, etc.).(ante 1210 still in current use)
3. Item ij dossen et ix de gurdell' ... vs. vjd.
Item iij li. de selke ... xlijs.
Item j gros poyntes ... xvjd.
Item di. dossen de purses ... xijd.
Item j li. de Iverycombez ... vjs. viijd.
...
Item ix gurdell Thred ... iijs. vjd.
Item j gros Poyntes ... xvjd.
...
Item iij Pursez de Roo ... [pris] xijd.
Item j pec. de kerchevys de Flaundrez ... ijs. vjd.
Item iv li. thred ... iiijs.
Item j serce de selke ... ijs.
Accounts.
[LexP Bristol Customs Searchers (p. 51, no. 38.B) ante 1399/1413]
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
1b(n.)
Accessory;
purse (AF and MdE - ecclesiastical), a receptical used to carry the host to and from the altar; also, a reliquary purse.(circa 1447 still in current use)
1. [116] ... ij custos of Sylk wt blew Ray ... Item, A purse of gold with ymages for a corpas; Item, iiij corpas with vi pursys pertenyng to the hye Auter ... ij Reredose of Sylk for an Autern palyd wt yelow & grene ... [117] ... Item, a white weyle for the croce in lent tyme And a noyr white weyle to be hongyng in the Chauncell be for the hye autr in lentyn tyme.
Accounts.
[MED Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 11 (116-117) 1447]
Sex: N/A Use: Ecclesiastical Ceremonial: Yes
Body Parts: N/A.
1c(n.)
Accessory;
also appears in clothing related compounds and combinations related either to sense 1 or 2: London purse; pruce purce, purse string(s) (a1430); purswerkere; pursemaker; ballok purs. Also appears in various figurative compounds and combinations: red purse (from a1220, a 'bag of wisdom'); clisterie (clyster) purse (a1500); purs peniles (from a1450, a penniless or poor man); purse cuttere/kervere, or cutte purse (from a1340, a 'cut-purse'); purse maister (from c1450, a treasurer). [Citations not provided here](ante 1220 still in current use)
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
2(n.)
Accessory;
official 'purse' or royal treasury; to privy purse. Also, the general public treasury; the common fund. Also in constructions such as 'upon the commune purse' [at public expense], etc. [Citations not provided here](ante 1400 still in current use)
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
3(n.)
Accessory;
In surnames (Derewinus Purs, 1176; Roberto Dunpurs, 1176; Robertus Purs, utlagalus, 1179; Thome Purs, 1212; Walter Purs, 1299; Henr. Wytpurs, 1332; Arnald le Purskervare, c1380); placenames (Extendunt se a vico qui vocatur Froggelone usque Smalpors, 1322); and in proverbial expressions.(circa 1176 - 1500)
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
Etymological Evidence:
Definite, Medieval L bursa; Old French borse, bourse (AF burse).
The OED adds: 'The change of initial consonant from b to p is perh. due to association with the Germanic synonyms, Old English pusa, posa and Old Icelandic posi bag ... . In later use the English word was freq. identified with (and in its spellings with medial -ou-, -ov- app. influenced by) Anglo-Norman and Middle French bource, Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French, French bourse (also in Anglo-Norman as burs, burse and in Anglo-Norman and Old French as borce, borse) money bag (early 12th cent. in Anglo-Norman), pouch or bag in general (13th cent.), money, funds (beginning of the 13th cent. or earlier in Anglo-Norman), scrotum (c1275), gall bladder (second half of the 14th cent.), bag-shaped fishing net (1409), cavity in the human body resembling a pocket or purse (late 15th cent.)' ['purse, n.', OED, 3rd edition, December 2007; online version September 2011. <http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/155036>; accessed 30 September 2011].
WF: Borrowed into the British Isles
Etym Cog: purs (OE), bursa (L), burse (ME), burse (AF).
References:
