unpursev.
/(ˌ)ʌnˈpəːs/, U.S. /ˌənˈpərs/ 1. transitive. To take (money) out of a purse; to pay out. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > management of money > expenditure > spend [verb (transitive)]
aspendc885
doOE
spendc1175
spenec1175
dispendc1330
bewarec1374
bestow1377
suckc1380
unpursea1393
warea1417
stowc1440
to lay outc1449
spone1456
expend1477
expend1484
impendc1486
ware?a1513
deburse?1529
disburse1530
defray1543
unburse1570
outlay1573
to lay forth1584
sweat1592
vent1612
dispursea1616
exhaust1616
to set forth1622
waste1639
depursea1648
fence1699
douse1759
shut1797
shift1923
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. l. 558 The time is ofte cursed, That evere was the gold unpursed, The which was leid upon the bok.
c1475 tr. A. Chartier Quadrilogue (Univ. Coll. Oxf.) (1974) 183 They that thus iugen of the werre at home by thaire fire wold nat leese a day of thaire ease or vnpurse [a1500 Rawl. ley owte of their purs] a peny but with mykell sorowe.
1570 P. Levens Manipulus Vocabulorum sig. Qi/1 To Dispurse, expendere. To Disburse, idem, insumere. To Vnburse, and vnpurse, idem.
1611 C. Tourneur Atheist's Trag. (new ed.) v. sig. K2 (stage direct.) Vnpurses the gold.
1889 R. Browning Poet. Wks. (1889) XIV. 135 Had you else, Only for Mary's sake, unpursed So much hard money? Tell—oh, tell's!
1963 Appleton (Wisconsin) Post-Crescent 12 July a8/3 Mothers unpurse quarters into impatient hands.
2. transitive. To rob (a person) of his or her purse or money. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > cutting or stealing purses > steal purse from [verb (transitive)]
unpurse1827
1827 R. Pollok Course of Time II. viii. 118 The uncivil robber, who unpursed The traveller on the high way.
1934 Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner 21 May 4/5 The high life gyp spot of Hollywood is a combination restaurant and gambling house... Many wealthy movie stars have been unpursed but come back like proverbial moths to the flame.
3. transitive. To relax (the lips, etc.) from being pursed or puckered. Also intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > mouth > [verb (intransitive)] > lips
poutc1484
pouch1647
blub1684
unpurse1838
moue1938
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > mouth > [verb (transitive)] > lips
sever1398
sparec1400
prim1707
mimp1710
pout1748
lip1826
unpurse1838
mouth1960
1838 Caledonian Mercury 5 Feb. Even Mr C—p—r unpursed the edge of his right eye, which ever had a most fascinating tendency to winking, and looked serious a moment.
1871 R. Browning Prince Hohenstiel-Schwangau 4 Now I permit your plump lips to unpurse.
c1880 R. Bridges in A. D. Coleridge Eton in Forties (1896) 174 Unpursed his mouth, empty his mighty chest, His run is o'er.
1958 J. Weidman Enemy Camp ii. 167 Aunt Tessie pursed her lips. She didn't unpurse them until the trolley car dropped her and George at the corner of Tenth Street and Avenue C.
1992 O. S. Card Lost Boys (1993) v. 119 His thick sensuous lips making vague movements, pursing and unpursing, as if he were drinking from an imaginary straw or kissing an imaginary aunt.
2010 Guardian (Nexis) 18 Sept. (Guide Suppl.) 59 They may also note, upon unpursing their lips, that everybody present appears to be having an awfully good time.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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