skinflint

/'skinflint/
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skinflint

A skinflint counts every coin in his purse.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A selfish person who is unwilling to give or spend: A "skinflint" is a person who is extremely stingy or miserly, hoarding money and avoiding any expenditure, even when reasonable or necessary.
Usage
  • The word "skinflint" is a noun used to describe a person characterized by extreme parsimony. It is a critical and often humorous or derogatory term. It is typically used in informal contexts to criticize someone's lack of generosity.
Examples
  • Noun:
    • My uncle is such a skinflint that he reuses teabags to save money.
    • The old skinflint refused to contribute to the office gift, even though it was for his own secretary.
Advanced Usage
  • The term often implies that the person's stinginess is excessive and noticeable to others, going beyond simple frugality.
  • It can be used in a figurative sense to describe institutions or entities perceived as excessively cheap.
    • The council was accused of being a bunch of skinflints for cutting the library's budget.
Variants and Related Words
  • Miser (n): A person who hoards wealth and lives miserably to avoid spending. (Similar to "skinflint," but may imply living in squalor.)
  • Scrooge (n): A person who is miserly and lacks Christmas spirit; derived from Charles Dickens's character Ebenezer Scrooge. (A cultural synonym for "skinflint.")
  • Tightwad (n): (Informal) A person who is unwilling to spend money. (Very close in meaning and register to "skinflint.")
  • Penny-pincher (n): (Informal) A person who is excessively careful with money.
Synonyms
  • Miser
  • Niggard (archaic/literary)
  • Cheapskate (informal)
  • Tightwad (informal)
Antonyms
  • Spendthrift: A person who spends money in an extravagant, irresponsible way.
  • Philanthropist: A person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially by the generous donation of money.
  • Generous person
Related Idioms
  • "As tight as a skinflint": An expression emphasizing extreme stinginess.
    • He's as tight as a skinflint; good luck getting him to buy a round of drinks.
  • While not a phrasal verb, the concept is central to idioms like "pinch pennies" (to be very careful with money) and "tight-fisted" (unwilling to spend money).
skinflint

A skinflint counts every coin in his purse.

Noun
  1. a selfish person who is unwilling to give or spend

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