pocketbook
Definition
Noun: 1. A small bag or case, especially one used by a woman to carry money and small personal items. This is the most common meaning, referring to a handbag or purse. 2. A person's financial resources or budget. This meaning refers to how much money someone has available to spend. 3. A small, usually paperback book that is designed to be carried easily in a pocket. This is a less common, more dated usage. 4. A pocket-sized wallet or case for holding papers, paper money, and cards. This usage overlaps with the first meaning but emphasizes a flat, folding case rather than a bag.
Usage Examples
- Meaning 1 (Small Bag): "She rummaged through her pocketbook looking for her keys."
- Meaning 2 (Financial Means): "The increase in property taxes will hit everyone's pocketbook."
- Meaning 3 (Small Book): "He published his poetry as a cheap pocketbook." (Note: 'paperback' is more common today.)
- Meaning 4 (Wallet/Case): "He took a business card from his leather pocketbook."
Advanced Usage
- "To feel it in one's pocketbook": To experience a direct financial impact, usually negative.
- Example: "Consumers will feel the new tariffs in their pocketbooks at the grocery store."
- "Pocketbook issue": A matter of direct economic concern or personal finance.
- Example: "For many voters, pocketbook issues like jobs and inflation are the top priority."
Variants and Related Words
- Pocket-sized (adjective): Small enough to fit in a pocket; conveniently compact.
- Example: "A pocket-sized dictionary."
- Pocket (noun/verb): The primary word, referring to a small pouch in clothing or, as a verb, to take possession of.
- Handbag, Purse (nouns): Common synonyms for the first meaning (small bag).
- Wallet, Billfold (nouns): Common synonyms for the fourth meaning (flat case for money).
Synonyms
- For Meaning 1 (Bag): purse, handbag, clutch, bag.
- For Meaning 2 (Finances): budget, means, finances, resources, wherewithal.
- For Meaning 3 (Book): paperback, softcover, small-format book.
- For Meaning 4 (Case): wallet, billfold, notecase.
Related Phrases
- Pocketbook vote: A vote cast based primarily on the voter's economic self-interest.
- Example: "The election was decided by the pocketbook vote."
- Pocketbook liberal/conservative: Terms describing someone whose political views, especially on economic matters, are influenced by their personal financial situation.
- Example: "He's a pocketbook conservative who supports lower taxes."
Notes on Usage
- The meaning of "pocketbook" can vary significantly by region. In American English, it most commonly means a woman's handbag (Meaning 1) or one's finances (Meaning 2). The meaning of a small book (Meaning 3) is now quite rare.
- When referring to a flat folding case for money (Meaning 4), "wallet" is a much more common and universally understood term.
Noun
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a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women)
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she reached into her bag and found a comb
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pocket-sized paperback book
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a pocket-size case for holding papers and paper money
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your personal financial means
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that car is too expensive for my pocketbook
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