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Glite Dictionary
sea purse

sea purse

9.8
A strong flow that pulls swimmers away from the shore after waves break
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : corriente de mar
  • The sea purse can catch swimmers off guard and pull them away from land.

Examples

  • Surfers should beware of the sea purse after each wave crashes onto the beach.

  • Children playing near the shore need to be warned about the strength of the sea purse.

  • The sea purse pulled me back into the water.

  • Many surfers enjoy the power of the sea purse.

  • Surfers should beware of the sea purse after each wave crashes onto the beach.

  • The sea purse can catch swimmers off guard and pull them away from land.

  • Children playing near the shore need to be warned about the strength of the sea purse.

Synonyms

undertow
vssea purse
4 7.4

A strong water current under the surface that pulls you out to sea

is more specific, highlighting a particularly strong outgoing shore undercurrent
sea-poose
vssea purse
  • Archaic
9.9

A strong flow of water that pulls away from the shore after waves break

is the established technical term preferred in many texts
sea-purse
vssea purse
  • Archaic
9.9

A strong current that pulls water and swimmers away from the shore after waves break

is the general strong outgoing current label rather than this phrasing
sea-puss
vssea purse
  • Archaic
9.9

A strong current that pulls swimmers away from a beach after waves break

is the same current but defined more neutrally as outgoing flow
sea puss
vssea purse
  • UK
9.9

A strong current that pulls swimmers away from the shore after waves break

is the standard name for the steady outgoing undercurrent after waves break

Surface Forms

sea purse singular
sea purses plural

Morphology

sea + purse

This is a specialized nautical term whose meaning ('strong outgoing undercurrent') is not transparently composed from 'sea' and 'purse' (where 'purse' is typically understood as a small bag or is here undefined). The relation between 'purse' and an undercurrent is obscure and metaphorical, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would not be able to predict the MWE meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

Sea purse comes from the image of the sea acting like a small bag or purse. After a wave breaks, the water rushes back in a narrow, strong flow that can grab and carry people 'out to sea', so the name helps you remember it means a strong current that can 'pull away' swimmers.