cheap skate

Idioms and Phrases

A stingy person, as in He's a real cheap skate when it comes to tipping . This idiom combines cheap (for “penurious”) with the slang usage of skate for a contemptible or low individual. It has largely replaced the earlier cheap John . [ Slang ; late 1800s]

Example Sentences

You'd only get in a bunch of suburban shoppers and cheap-skate art students.

From Project Gutenberg

You're nothing but a cheap skate, a tin-horn gambler, run down at the heels.

From Project Gutenberg

"The lumberjack is no cheap skate," so they gladly gave in return.

From Project Gutenberg

Every cheap skate of a real estate man keeps one stenographer.

From Project Gutenberg

D'youse t'ink dis is a tee-ayter, an' dat youse are a cheap-skate actor strollin' acrost de stage?

From Project Gutenberg