purse string
- noun
:
cordón de bolso
- She pulled the purse string tight to ensure nothing would fall out.
Examples
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I pulled the purse string to close the bag.
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The old velvet bag still had its original purse string attached.
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He quickly loosened the purse string to retrieve a coin from his pouch.
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The purse strings on my new bag are very strong.
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She pulled the purse string to close her small handbag tightly.
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The purse string on my old backpack has worn out, making it hard to keep things secure.
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He adjusted the purse string on his coin pouch to ensure it wouldn't open unexpectedly.
Synonyms
222
1.0
A thin cord used to tie or fasten things
7
3.7
A cord in clothing or a bag you pull to make the opening smaller
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase evokes a drawstring on a purse so a learner who knows 'purse' and 'string' can infer a closing or tightening action; the metaphor of closing like a purse is fairly transparent. However, the specific technical meaning as a surgical suture technique is specialized and requires domain knowledge, so the exact interpretation is not fully predictable from the constituents alone.
Etymology
The noun purse string is the cord used to pull a small bag closed. Imagine pulling the string tight so coins stay inside; that clear picture is why the phrase names that object.