Can you help me create a list of English idioms essentially meaning "poor"?
Asked by
LC_Beta (
1883)
January 31st, 2011
from iPhone
This is just for fun, and because I haven’t been able to find a similar list online.
I’ll get started:
* Broke as a joke
* Poor as a churchmouse
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15 Answers
In the red
Flat broke
Tapped out
Running on empty
Living from hand to mouth
piss-poor (doesn’t always refer to money, but bad performance, for example)
* fucked (most accurate description imho)
* potless
* skint
* strapped for cash
* not having two pennies to rub together
note: regarding the first one, thats not just curse words for the sake of it, I hear it used all the time, more precisely, I see it used. I say I see it because it is normall acompanied with body language. the patting off pockets and shaking off the head. “I can’t I’m fucked”.
* Tight or Tight for cash
* On the soup line / bread line
Rode hard and put up wet. (refers to poor ‘condition’ or appearance)
something the cat dragged in (ditto)
stone broke
down at heel
on your uppers
busted
standing in the bread line
down and out
without a plug nickel
scraping the bottom of the barrel (this works for being financially short on cash or someone who is dating someone of a very low class)
empty pockets
living on a shoestring
just getting by
falling upon lean times
having a light purse
not knowing where your next meal is coming from
They are so poor they can’t afford to pay attention.
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