held the purse strings

A form of hold the purse strings — To be in control of spending; to have financial power and responsibility.

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Meanings

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of hold the purse strings
Cite this entry
APA

held the purse strings. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/held%20the%20purse%20strings

MLA

“held the purse strings.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/held%20the%20purse%20strings. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “held the purse strings,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/held%20the%20purse%20strings.

Source: held the purse strings on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.