Social Question

LC_Beta's avatar

Can you help me create a list of English idioms essentially meaning "poor"?

Asked by LC_Beta (1883points) 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

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

15 Answers

Seelix's avatar

In the red
Flat broke
Tapped out
Running on empty

WasCy's avatar

Living from hand to mouth

Sueanne_Tremendous's avatar

No pot to piss in

WasCy's avatar

dirt poor

WasCy's avatar

piss-poor (doesn’t always refer to money, but bad performance, for example)

poisonedantidote's avatar

* 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”.

poisonedantidote's avatar

* Tight or Tight for cash
* On the soup line / bread line

ucme's avatar

Brassy
Hard up
Potless

WasCy's avatar

Rode hard and put up wet. (refers to poor ‘condition’ or appearance)
something the cat dragged in (ditto)

cubozoa's avatar

stone broke
down at heel
on your uppers

Kardamom's avatar

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

Jeruba's avatar

living on a shoestring
just getting by
falling upon lean times
having a light purse
not knowing where your next meal is coming from

Claire_Fraser's avatar

They are so poor they can’t afford to pay attention.

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