Advertisement
Advertisement
privy purse
noun
, British.
- a sum from the public revenues allotted to the sovereign for personal expenses.
- a member of the royal household in charge of paying these expenses.
privy purse
noun
- (in Britain) an allowance voted by Parliament for the private expenses of the monarch: part of the civil list
- (in other countries) a similar sum of money for the monarch
- an official of the royal household responsible for dealing with the monarch's private expenses Full nameKeeper of the Privy Purse
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of privy purse1
First recorded in 1655–65
Discover More
Example Sentences
The "imperial" taxes were for the emperor's privy purse, the fiscus.
From Project Gutenberg
The king was at Greenwich, but even there was not beyond the infection; in the Privy Purse book, there is an entry of 18.
From Project Gutenberg
For more than a year I managed, unsuspected, to keep the Privy Purse fairly supplied by the exercise of my caricaturing abilities.
From Project Gutenberg
His Majesty then drew from his privy purse the necessary funds, and handed them to these gentlemen.
From Project Gutenberg
Our tribute is a million (francs), but we pay five millions, of which four go into the Sultans privy purse.
From Project Gutenberg
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse