scrimp

[skrimp]

verb (used without object)

1. to be sparing or frugal; economize (often followed byon ).

   They scrimped and saved for everything they have. He spends most of his money on clothes, and scrimps on food.

   Synonyms: scrape, save, stint, skimp

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.

scrimp

/ skrɪmp /

verb

1. 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

3. (tr) to cut too small

adjective

1. a less common word for scant

Other Word Forms

• scrimpily adverb
• scrimpiness noun
• scrimpy adjective
• unscrimped adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of scrimp¹

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”; shrimp

Word History and Origins

Origin of scrimp¹

C18: Scottish, origin unknown

Example Sentences

For years, the Hillsborough families had had to scrimp, save, and fundraise to pay for lawyers.

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"It can be really really hard when you're having to scrimp and save and spend so much time thinking and organising and figuring out where the food is going to come from," she says.

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His parents scrimped and saved to pay for his tuition at Alliance, a boarding school run by British missionaries.

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"It's literally scrimping and scraping to be able to manage to get one lesson a week," she says.

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Bureaucrats who were not furloughed alleged they were forced to scrimp by limiting the use of air conditioning, lifts and even printers.

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Related Words

• cut back 
• skimp