How Do You Spell CUT-PURSE?

Pronunciation: [kˈʌtpˈɜːs] (IPA)

The word "cut-purse" is spelled as it is pronounced: /kʌt pɜrs/. The first part, "cut," refers to a thief's act of cutting open someone's pocket or purse to steal their belongings. The second part, "purse," refers to the object being stolen. The hyphen between the two words indicates that they are used together to create a compound noun. While the term "cut-purse" is not commonly used today, it was commonly used in Shakespearean times to describe pickpockets.

CUT-PURSE Meaning and Definition

  1. • A thief; a robber; cut-throat, a murderer; an assassin.
    • Murderous; barbarous; cut-water, the fore part of a ship's prow that cuts the water.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Common Misspellings for CUT-PURSE

  • cut-purse
  • cutpurs
  • cutpurrse
  • cutpurse
  • xut-purse
  • vut-purse
  • fut-purse
  • dut-purse
  • cyt-purse
  • cht-purse
  • cjt-purse
  • cit-purse
  • c8t-purse
  • c7t-purse
  • cur-purse
  • cuf-purse
  • cug-purse
  • cuy-purse
  • cu6-purse
  • cu5-purse

Etymology of CUT-PURSE

The word "cut-purse" is a compound word formed from the combination of "cut" and "purse".

The term "cut" comes from the Middle English word "cutten", which means "to cut". In the context of "cut-purse", it originally referred to the act of stealthily cutting open someone's purse, usually with a sharp instrument, in order to steal their money or valuables.

"Purse" comes from the Old English word "purs", which means a small bag or pouch used to carry money or other personal items. The term evolved over time to specifically refer to a bag used to hold money.

Therefore, "cut-purse" is a term used to describe a thief who cuts open or slashes purses to steal from unsuspecting victims. The term dates back to the 16th century and was commonly used during a time when cut-purses were notorious for their criminal activities in crowded places.

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