ˈpurse-ˌcutter
A thief who cuts purses and abstracts their contents; a cutpurse.
| c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 697 Tyburne coloppys, and pursekytters. c 1515 Cocke Lorells B. 11 Players, purse cutters, money baterers. 1690 [see purseless]. 1881 Besant & Rice Chapl. of Fleet 11, Footpads and purse-cutters no longer infest the streets. |
So ˈpurse-ˌcutting vbl. n.
| 1621 Bp. Sanderson Serm. on 1 Cor. vii. 24 §27 Such as live by Stealing, and Robbing, and Piracy, and Purse-cutting. |