loosen the purse strings
English
Alternative forms
- loosen the pursestrings
- loosen the purse-strings
Verb
loosen the purse strings
- (idiomatic, colloquial) To increase spending or allow increased spending; to relax control of spending.
- 1848, Parliament of Great Britain, “The Parliamentary debates”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume 96, page cdlvii:
- He thought the effect of this language from the Prime Minister had been to loosen the purse-strings of the Treasury.
- 2004, The 9/11 Commission report, final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States (authorized edition), National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, page 358:
- Proponents of the counterterrorism agenda might respond by being less inclined to loosen the purse strings than they would have been if offered a convincing...
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Antonyms
- tighten the purse strings
Translations
to increase or allow to increase spending
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See also
- hold the purse strings
- loosen the apron strings