pursed

Pursed is the past tense and past participle of the verb purse. In common usage, purse as a verb means to tighten or contract something, especially the lips. The term pursed may describe a person whose lips are pressed together, producing a narrow line, often indicating disapproval, concentration, or skepticism. The expression pursed lips is common in descriptive writing, and the adjective pursed can modify other features, such as “her pursed brow” or “pursed mouth.”

Etymology and sense development: The verb purse derives from the noun purse, a small bag, and originally carried the sense of shaping or closing something like a pouch. The figurative use to describe facial features arose in English in the early modern period and persists in modern prose and journalism. The form pursed lips is typically used as a noun phrase or, when used as a compound modifier, may appear as pursed-lips expression, though punctuation conventions vary.

Usage notes: In everyday language, pursed lips often signal disapproval, hesitation, or focus. In medical or physiological contexts, the phrase pursed lip breathing refers to a technique used to regulate airflow, commonly described in relation to respiratory conditions. Related terms include pucker, pout, and scowl, which describe similar mouth shapes but with different connotations. While related, these terms convey distinct tonal or emotional nuances and are chosen to fit the specific descriptive purpose.