hold the purse strings

English

Alternative forms

• hold the pursestrings
• hold the purse-strings

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Verb

hold the purse strings (third-person singular simple present holds the purse strings, present participle holding the purse strings, simple past and past participle held the purse strings)

1. (idiomatic, colloquial) To be in control of spending; to have financial power and responsibility.
   • 1787, James Madison, The writings of James Madison: comprising his public papers and his private correspondence..., page 158:

     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.

   • 1985, Jerome Hellmuth, Coping with parents, page 62:

     The power structure of the family is being shared by wives and husbands, mothers and fathers. Both hold the purse strings.

Related terms

• loosen the purse strings, tighten the purse strings

Translations

to be in control of expenditure

• Finnish: pitää kukkaron nyörit tiukalla
• French: tenir les cordons de la bourse (fr), tenir la caisse (fr)
• Polish: trzymać rękę na kasie impf

See also

• pull strings (shares a theme of control)

Further reading

• “hold the purse strings”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.