purse

a heavy purse makes a light heart

proverb If you are financially secure, you will not worry. Money doesn't buy happiness, but it sure helps to solve a lot of life's little problems. A heavy purse makes a light heart.
See also: heart, heavy, light, make, purse

a light purse makes a heavy heart

1. proverb Not having enough money can cause one to suffer a lot of stress, worry, and unhappiness. I know you can't comprehend why there's so much depression, anxiety, and anger in this part of the country, but that's because you've never been forced to live in poverty. If you had, you'd understand that a light purse makes a heavy heart.
2. proverb By extension, one should not spend their money frivolously or wastefully, lest it lead to one's unhappiness. I know you're excited to go to the casinos on your trip to Las Vegas, but be careful how you handle your money—a light purse makes for a heavy heart.
See also: heart, heavy, light, make, purse

can't make a silk purse (out) of a sow's ear

proverb You cannot fashion something beautiful or valuable out of poor materials. What do you want me to do with this tacky fabric? You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear!
See also: ear, make, of, purse, silk

control the purse strings

To dictate the spending of a given group, such as a family, company, country, etc. After my dad's gambling problem came to light, my mother started to control the purse strings. The finance department controls the purse strings around here.
See also: control, purse, string

he that hath a full purse never wanted a friend

proverb Wealthy people usually have no trouble finding and keeping friends. Of course Paul has a lot of hangers-on now that he's a famous actor—he that hath a full purse never wanted a friend.
See also: friend, full, hath, he, never, purse, that, want

hold the purse strings

To dictate the spending of a given group, such as a family, company, country, etc. After my dad's gambling problem came to light, my mother started holding the purse strings. The finance department holds the purse strings around here.
See also: hold, purse, string

little and often fills the purse

Earning or save small amounts of money as frequently as possible will provide the income or savings that one needs. I never had a proper career, instead making my living by doing various jobs for people all around the city. I might not have had a fat paycheck at the end of each month, but little and often fills the purse. Try to get into the habit of dropping 10, 20, 30 dollars into a savings account whenever you can spare it—little and often fills the purse.
See also: and, fill, little, often, purse

loosen the purse strings

To become more liberal with one's expenditures; to increase the availability of money for spending purposes. After having to count my pennies for so long, it's nice to be able to loosen the purse strings a bit! We'd have a much better and more stable product if the boss would loosen the purse strings a little.
See also: loosen, purse, string

make a silk purse (out) of a sow's ear

To fashion something beautiful or valuable out of poor materials. Often used in the negative, such as "cannot make a silk purse of a sow's ear." What do you want me to do with this tacky dress? I can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear!
See also: ear, make, of, purse, silk

purse strings

The spending power of a given group, such as a family, company, country, etc. Their government is going to have to learn to tighten the purse strings if they want to continue receiving bailout money from the IMF. After my dad's gambling problem came to light, it was my mother who started holding the purse strings.
See also: purse, string

purse up

1. To pucker one's lips, as when tasting something sour or preparing for a kiss. I caught him pursing up and moving in for a kiss out the corner of my eye, so I pretended that I was getting a phone call from my friend. The kid purse up when he put the sour candy in his mouth.
2. To shrink in size and become wrinkled; to shrivel up. Her skin pursed up in goose pimples when she walked out into the cold night air. You have to stretch the material out so it doesn't purse up as it dries.
3. To cause something to contract or bunch up. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can used between "purse" and "up." Pull the two drawstrings to purse up the opening of the bag. Stop pursing your lips up like that—you look ridiculous!
See also: purse, up

tighten the purse strings

To become less liberal with or more controlling of one's expenditures; to decrease the availability of money for spending purposes. After losing my job, I've had to tighten the purse strings quite a bit. We've been behind schedule ever since the boss decided to tighten the purse strings on our project.
See also: purse, string, tighten

you can't make a silk purse (out) of a sow's ear

proverb You cannot fashion something beautiful or valuable out of poor materials. What do you want me to do with this tacky fabric? You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear!
See also: ear, make, of, purse, silk
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

control the purse strings

 and hold the purse strings
Fig. to be in charge of the money in a business or a household. I control the purse strings at our house. Mr. Williams is the treasurer. He controls the purse strings.
See also: control, purse, string

He that hath a full purse never wanted a friend.

Prov. A rich person always has plenty of friends. Jill: Ever since Joe won the lottery, he's been getting congratulations from friends and relatives he hasn't heard from in years. Jane: You know how it is. He that hath a full purse never wanted a friend.
See also: friend, full, hath, he, never, purse, that, want

A heavy purse makes a light heart.

Prov. If you have plenty of money, you will feel happy and secure. Everyone in the office is especially cheerful on payday, since a heavy purse makes a light heart.
See also: heart, heavy, light, make, purse

light purse makes a heavy heart

Prov. If you do not have enough money, you will worry and be unhappy. Nathan is a cheerful person by nature, but since he lost his job, worry has made him glum. A light purse makes a heavy heart.
See also: heart, heavy, light, make, purse

Little and often fills the purse.

Prov. If you get a little bit of money frequently, you will always have enough. Jill: I don't think I'll ever be able to save very much; I can only afford to save such a little bit of money from every paycheck. Jane: Ah, but little and often fills the purse.
See also: and, fill, little, often, purse

purse something up

to bunch or pucker something up. (Usually the lips.) When he tasted the lemon juice, he pursed his lips up and spat it out. Don pursed up his lips as if to spit it out.
See also: purse, up

You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Prov. You cannot make someone more refined than he or she is by nature. I've given up trying to get my cousin to appreciate classical music. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
See also: cannot, ear, make, of, out, purse, silk
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

Be unable to turn something ugly or inferior into something attractive or of value, as in No matter how expensive his clothes, he still looks sloppy-you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear . This expression was already a proverb in the mid-1500s.
See also: ear, make, of, out, purse, silk

purse strings

Financial resources or control of them, as in His mother doesn't want to let go of the purse strings because he may make some foolish investments . This expression is often extended to hold or tighten or loosen the purse strings , as in As long as Dad holds the purse strings, we have to consider his wishes, or The company is tightening the purse strings and will not be hiring many new people this year . The purse strings in this idiom are the means of opening and closing a drawstring purse. [Early 1400s]
See also: purse, string
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

hold the purse strings

COMMON If you hold the purse strings, you control the way that money is spent in a particular family, organization, or country. Six out of ten women think that financial institutions treat them like idiots, even though they usually hold the domestic purse strings. Note: People sometimes use control instead of hold. His department controls the purse strings, and he will make sure that other departments spend money to meet targets he has set. Note: This expression is often varied. For instance, you can talk about someone's hold on the purse strings or control of the purse strings. His manager was in sole control of the purse strings.
See also: hold, purse, string

loosen the purse strings

or

loosen your purse strings

If you loosen the purse strings or loosen your purse strings, you allow more money to be spent. If the Treasury loosens the purse strings, many authorities will be delighted to spend. Companies are loosening their purse strings and making investments in network improvements.
See also: loosen, purse, string

tighten the purse strings

or

tighten your purse strings

If you tighten the purse strings or tighten your purse strings, you reduce the amount of money that can be spent. Election promises must be delayed while the government tightens its purse strings.
See also: purse, string, tighten

you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

If you say you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, you mean that it is impossible to make something very successful or of high quality out of something which is unsuccessful or of poor quality. He did his best to coach the team but you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Note: People often vary this expression. It takes more than a good swimming pool and an indoor tennis court or two to make a sow's ear of a resort into a silk purse. Afterwards, Kendall made no attempt to describe this sow's ear as a silk purse. Note: A sow is a female pig, and the ears of a pig are regarded as the least useful body parts when the animal is slaughtered.
See also: ear, make, of, out, purse, silk
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

hold the purse strings

have control of expenditure.
See also: hold, purse, string

make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

turn something inferior into something of top quality.
The observation that you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear has been proverbial since the late 16th century; there was an earlier version which featured a goat's fleece instead of a sow's ear .
See also: ear, make, of, out, purse, silk
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

control/hold the ˈpurse strings

(informal) be the person who controls the amount of money spent and the way in which it is spent: I’m the one who controls the purse strings in this office, and you must come to me if you want any more money.
See also: control, hold, purse, string

make a silk ˌpurse out of a sow’s ˈear

succeed in making something good out of material that does not seem very good at all: If you’re serious about taking up painting, invest in good quality brushes and canvas. After all, it’s no good trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
See also: ear, make, of, out, purse, silk
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

One cannot turn something inherently inferior into something of value. This proverbial metaphor dates from about 1500, and with some slight variation (“silk” is sometimes “velvet”) makes its way from proverb collections (by Howell, Ray, Dykes, et al.) into literature (Samuel Richardson, Laurence Sterne, Jonathan Swift, Charles Lamb, Robert Browning, George Bernard Shaw, and Clifford Odets, among others).
See also: ear, make, of, out, purse, silk

you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

You cannot turn something inferior or bad into something of value. This proverbial warning was issued in various forms from the sixteenth century on. It clearly had no literal basis; indeed, the absurdity of trying to turn pig’s ears into silk (or velvet or satin, as some variants have it) no doubt helped the saying survive.
See also: ear, make, of, out, purse, silk
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • teach a man to fish
  • it takes a village
  • village
  • best-laid plans go astray, the
  • the best-laid plans
  • the best-laid plans go astray
  • the best-laid plans of mice and men
  • chickens come home to roost
  • chickens come home to roost, one's
  • appearance
References in classic literature
And Denisov went to the bed to get the purse from under the pillow.
"If the purse isn't found I'll flog you, I'll flog you all."
War and Peace
Upon this the governor said to the woman, "Let me see that purse, my worthy and sturdy friend." She handed it to him at once, and the governor returned it to the man, and said to the unforced mistress of force, "Sister, if you had shown as much, or only half as much, spirit and vigour in defending your body as you have shown in defending that purse, the strength of Hercules could not have forced you.
If the previous decision about the cattle dealer's purse excited the admiration of the bystanders, this provoked their laughter; however, the governor's orders were after all executed.
Don Quixote
The exhibition they make of their feelings is not a touching sight, yet it shows how deeply they have been touched, how deeply their purses have been touched, for to lay hands on their purses is to lay hands on their souls."
The Sea Wolf
A light was procured accordingly, and the robber proceeded to examine the purse. The others crowded around him, and even two who had hold of Gurth relaxed their grasp while they stretched their necks to see the issue of the search.
Ivanhoe
It certainly felt as though it might well be the purse fallen through a hole in the pocket into the lining.
The Idiot
His one thought was how to be revenged on that wicked old hag, and for this purpose he had a purse made large enough to contain five hundred gold pieces, but filled it instead with bits of glass.
Arabian Nights
"Oh," cried Julie, "I have not lost all hope of some day kissing that hand, as I now kiss the purse which he has touched.
Count of Monte Cristo
So let no man draw up his lip, nor thrust his forefinger into his purse, for I swear that neither butcher nor Sheriff shall pay one penny for this feast."
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
The bill paid, and the waiter remembered, and the ostler not forgotten, and the chambermaid taken into consideration - in a word, the whole house bribed into a state of contempt and animosity, and Estella's purse much lightened - we got into our post-coach and drove away.
Great Expectations
"Heaven bless ye, good Robin," cried the butcher right joyfully, "that can I!" And he leaped down forthwith from the cart, and handed Robin the reins in exchange for the purse.
Robin Hood
"Her father shall pay me for it doubly: with his purse and with his life." With that thought in his heart, Richard Turlington wound his way through the streets by the river-side, and stopped at a blind alley called Green Anchor Lane, infamous to this day as the chosen resort of the most abandoned wretches whom London can produce.
Miss or Mrs
"What do you mean to do with that purse?" whispered he.
Three Musketeers
Now, in times past all went wrong with me, and every month found a fresh hole in my cassock and in my skin, a gold crown less in my poor purse; of that execrable time of small beer and see-saw, I regret absolutely nothing, nothing, nothing save our friendship; for within me I have a heart, and it is a miracle that heart has not been dried up by the wind of poverty which passed through the holes of my cloak, or pierced by the swords of all shapes which passed through the holes in my poor flesh."
Ten Years Later