thrift
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Related to thrift: Thrift Bank
thrift
(thrĭft)n.
1. Wise economy in the management of money and other resources; frugality.
2. Vigorous growth of living things, such as plants.
3. Any of several densely tufted plants of the genus Armeria, especially A. maritima, having white to pink flower heads with a funnel-shaped scarious calyx.
4. A savings and loan association, credit union, or savings bank. Also called thrift institution.
intr.v. thrift·ed, thrift·ing, thrifts
To shop in thrift stores, especially for clothing: "I'd hoped the zine would connect all sort of people—[who] understood how much cooler it was to thrift than to buy new junk" (Al Hoff).
[Middle English, prosperity, perhaps from Old Norse, from thrīfask, to thrive; see thrive.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
thrift
(θrɪft)n
1. wisdom and caution in the management of money
2. (Plants) Also called: sea pink any of numerous perennial plumbaginaceous low-growing plants of the genus Armeria, esp A. maritima, of Europe, W Asia, and North America, having narrow leaves and round heads of pink or white flowers
3. (Horticulture) rare vigorous thriving or growth, as of a plant
4. (Banking & Finance) US a building society, savings bank, or credit union
5. an obsolete word for prosperity
[C13: from Old Norse: success; see thrive]
ˈthriftless adj
ˈthriftlessly adv
ˈthriftlessness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
thrift
(θrɪft)n.
1. economical management; economy.
2. Also called thrift′ institu`tion. a savings and loan association, savings bank, or credit union.
3. any alpine and maritime plant belonging to the genus Armeria, of the leadwort family, having pink or white flowers, esp. A. maritima, noted for vigorous growth.
4. vigorous growth.
5. Obs. prosperity.
[1200–50; Middle English < Old Norse: well-being, prosperity; akin to thrive]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
thrift
- First meant "acquired wealth, prosperity, success."See also related terms for prosperity.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
Thrift
- Act like they are bargaining with some Arab street trader … like they are buying lemons —John Wainwright
- False economy is like stopping one hole in a sieve —Samuel Johnson, April 17, 1788
- Frugal as a poor farmer’s wife —George Garrett
- Generous as someone who would give you the sleeves out of his vest —Anon
- His money comes from him like drops of blood —John Ray’s Proverbs
- Kept his wallet shut tight as an accordion —Anon
- Pinches a penny like money is going out of style —George Garrett
- Soliciting a miser is like fishing in the desert —Solomon Ibn Gabirol
- Thrifty as a French peasant —G. K. Chesterton
- Tight as a miser’s wallet —Anon
- Tight as a scout knot —Geoffrey Wolff
In his novel, Providence, Wolff expands upon the simile with “Wouldn’t pay a nickel to watch an earthquake.”
- Tight as a tic —Anon
- Tight as Dick’s headband —American colloquialism
This was coined by and is still used by Texas ranchers.
- Tight as the bark to a tree —American colloquialism
This still popular simile originated in New Hampshire. A variation from Indiana, “Tight as a wad,” has pretty much given way to the jargon word ‘tightwad.’ There’s also Ulysses S. Grant’s literal application to describe the pantaloons he had to wear as a West Point cadet as being, “Tight to my skin as the bark to a tree.”
- Tight as the paper on the wall —Mignon Eberhart
- Watch pennies like a streetcar conductor —Irwin Shaw
Similes Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1988 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun | 1. | ![]() Armeria, genus Armeria - shrubby or herbaceous low-growing evergreen perennials Armeria maritima, cliff rose, sea pink - tufted thrift of seacoasts and mountains of north temperate zone; occasionally grown as a ground cover |
2. | thrift - extreme care in spending money; reluctance to spend money unnecessarily frugality, frugalness - prudence in avoiding waste |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
thrift
noun economy, prudence, frugality, saving, parsimony, carefulness, good husbandry, thriftiness They were rightly praised for their thrift and enterprise.
waste, squandering, extravagance, carelessness, recklessness, profligacy, prodigality
waste, squandering, extravagance, carelessness, recklessness, profligacy, prodigality
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
thrift
nounCareful use of material resources:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
إقْتِصاد في الإنْفاق، عَدَم التَّبْذير
šetrnostspořivost
sparsommelighed
GrasnelkeSparsamkeit
armérieéconomie
sparsemi
taupība
zawciąg
thrift
[θrɪft] thriftiness [ˈθrɪftɪnɪs]A. N → economía f, frugalidad f
B. CPD thrift store (US) N tienda de artículos de segunda mano que dedica su recaudación a causas benéficas
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
thrift
[ˈθrɪft] n → économie fthrift shop n petite boutique d'articles d'occasion gérée au profit d'œuvres charitablesCollins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
thrift
n → Sparsamkeit f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
thrift
(θrift) noun careful spending of money, or using of food or other resources, so that one can save or have some left in reserve; economy. She is noted for her thrift but her husband is very extravagant.
ˈthrifty adjective showing thrift. a thrifty housewife.
ˈthriftily adverbˈthriftiness noun
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.