Penny-pinching

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Penny-pinching'?

Parsimonious; mean with money.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Penny-pinching'?

‘Penny-pinching’ is an old English expression and is first recorded in Thomas Dekker’s play Shomakers Holiday, 1600:

Let wine be plentiful as beere, and beere as water, hang these penny pinching fathers.

The phrase wasn’t then much used for several centuries and re-emerged in the USA in the 20th century, and it is from there that it spread to become a commonplace part of the language.

Related phrases and meanings

Browse more Phrases

About the Author

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Phrases & Meanings

A-Z

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T UV W XYZ