Meanings
present singular third person holds the purse strings · participle present holding the purse strings · participle past held the purse strings · past held the purse strings · alternative hold the pursestrings · alternative hold the purse-strings
- colloquialidiomaticTo be in control of spending; to have financial power and responsibility.
The power structure of the family is being shared by wives and husbands, mothers and fathers. Both hold the purse strings.
1985, Jerome Hellmuth, Coping with parents, page 621 more example
The other branch was more immediately the representatives of the people, and it was a maxim that the people ought to hold the Purse-strings.
1787, James Madison, The writings of James Madison: comprising his public papers and his private correspondence..., page 158
Translations
Finnish pitää kukkaron nyörit tiukalla
- pitää kukkaron nyörit tiukallato be in control of expenditure
French tenir les cordons de la bourse, tenir la caisse
- tenir les cordons de la bourseto be in control of expenditure
- tenir la caisseto be in control of expenditure
Polish trzymać rękę na kasie
- trzymać rękę na kasieto be in control of expenditure
Cite this entry
hold the purse strings. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20the%20purse%20strings
“hold the purse strings.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20the%20purse%20strings. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hold the purse strings,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20the%20purse%20strings.
Source: hold the purse strings on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.