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purse strings
plural noun
the right or power to manage the disposition of money.
in control of the family purse strings.
purse strings
plural noun
control of finance or expenditure (esp in such phrases as hold or control the purse strings )
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of purse strings1
Idioms and Phrases
hold the purse strings, to have the power to determine how money shall be spent.
loosen / tighten the purse strings, to increase or decrease expenditures or the availability of money.
The budget committee is in the process of tightening the purse strings.
Example Sentences
The EPA is potentially facing tighter purse strings.
Our supine Republican Congress, in fear of alienating Musk and Trump, has abdicated its role in this critical balance, handing over control of the purse strings to Trump and Musk.
Lenders tightened their purse strings, and new housing production plummeted.
She said predictions of "sluggish growth" means Reeves will probably "tighten purse strings" in the Spring Statement.
There are another 300 million "emerging" or "aspirant" consumers, but they are reluctant spenders who've only just begun to open their purse strings, as click-of-a-button digital payments make it easy to transact.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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