scrimp

[ skrimp ]
See synonyms for scrimp on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object)
  1. to be sparing or frugal; economize (often followed by on): They scrimped and saved for everything they have. He spends most of his money on clothes, and scrimps on food.

verb (used with object)
  1. to be sparing or restrictive of or in; limit severely: to scrimp food.

  2. to keep on short allowance; provide sparingly for: to scrimp their elderly parents.

Origin of scrimp

1
First recorded in 1710–20; from Scandinavian; compare Swedish skrympa, Norwegian, Danish skrumpe (originally from an unattested skrimpa, ) “to shrivel,” cognate with Middle High German schrimpfen “to contract”; see origin at shrimp

Other words for scrimp

Other words from scrimp

  • un·scrimped, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use scrimp in a sentence

  • This meant borrowing and scrimping for several years,—a fact which had great bearing on the wife's illness later.

    The Nervous Housewife | Abraham Myerson

British Dictionary definitions for scrimp

scrimp

/ (skrɪmp) /


verb
  1. (when intr, sometimes foll by on) to be very economical or sparing in the use (of) (esp in the phrase scrimp and save)

  2. (tr) to treat meanly: he is scrimping his children

  1. (tr) to cut too small

adjective
  1. a less common word for scant

Origin of scrimp

1
C18: Scottish, origin unknown

Derived forms of scrimp

  • scrimpy, adjective
  • scrimpily, adverb
  • scrimpiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012