What is the origin of the expression make ends meet?
Manage so that one's financial means are enough for one's needs, as in On that salary Enid had trouble making ends meet. This expression originated as make both ends meet, a translation from the French joindre les deux bouts (by John Clarke, 1639).
What does it mean to make ends meet with money?
make (both) ends meet To earn just enough money to pay one's bills. Fig. to earn and spend equal amounts of money. Manage so that one's financial means are enough for one's needs, as in On that salary Enid had trouble making ends meet.
Where did the phrase meet the two ends of the year come from?
However, this explanation seems to correspond to a late extension of the English phrase, which is to make the (two) ends of the year meet, first recorded in The Adventures of Roderick Random (1748), by the Scottish author Tobias George Smollett (1721-71):
What does it mean to have trouble making ends meet?
He has trouble making ends meet because he can't find work and his government check is barely enough to cover the rent. Note: Originally, this expression was `make both ends of the year meet', which meant to spend only as much money as you received as income. earn or have enough money to live on without getting into debt.
Where did the term to make ends meet come from?
Etymology. Unknown. Perhaps originally referred to the ends of rope meeting, signifying continuity and therefore security and stability. Perhaps shifting later to refer to the attempt at making money last from one pay period to the next (i.e. the ends), thereby leaving no gap or break in the availability of funds.
What does the phrase making ends meet mean?
To make ends meet means "to pay for the things that you need to live when you have little money." This is a good example of an idiom that is often used in English but that is not transparent in meaning.
Where does make ends meet?
It's often said that it's from bookkeeping, in which the total at the bottom (“end”) of the column of income must at least match that at the bottom of the expenditure column if one is not to be living beyond one's income.
Is make ends meet formal or informal?
Informal To achieve a goal; be successful: finally made it as an actor.
What is the synonym for make both ends meet?
Words Related to make ends meet. carry on, contrive, scrape (by or through), scrounge.
What does one in a blue moon mean?
very rarely“Once in a blue moon” is a common expression that has been used for a long time, and which means 'not very often,' or 'very rarely. ' It often refers to an extra full moon; however, it has been used to describe the way the moon actually looked, when for different reasons it had turned a blueish color.
What is the meaning keep the wolf from the door?
Definition of keep the wolf from the door informal. : to have or earn enough money to afford things (such as food and clothing) that is needed to live They make just enough to keep the wolf from the door.
What does the idiom get the whip hand mean?
to be the person or group that has the most power in a situation: During the last decade the right wing of the party has held the whip hand. Controlling and being in charge.
Can barely make ends meet?
If you find it difficult to make ends meet, you cannot manage very well financially because you hardly have enough money for the things you need. With Betty's salary they barely made ends meet.
What is the meaning of the idiom in black and white?
Definition of in black and white 1 : in written or printed form I want to see it in black and white. 2 : in a way that involves a simple choice between two opposite things (such as good and bad or right and wrong) She sees everything in black and white.
What is the meaning of idiom a white elephant?
a possession entailing great expense out of proportion to its usefulness or value to the owner: When he bought the mansion he didn't know it was going to be such a white elephant.
What does spill the beans mean idiom?
Disclose a secretDisclose a secret or reveal something prematurely, as in You can count on little Carol to spill the beans about the surprise. In this colloquial expression, first recorded in 1919, spill means “divulge,” a usage dating from the 1500s.
Why is Edmund Grindal in italics?
The author wrote the following about the English Protestant leader Edmund Grindal (1519-83) – in the original text, to put off his clothes and went to bed on the one hand, make both ends meet and lapped over on the other hand, are in italics because Fuller is quoting existing idioms: Being really blind more with grief then age, ...
What does "little that lapped over" mean?
The phrase is from tailoring or dressmaking, and refers to the amount of material needed to make a piece of clothing reach round the body, so that its two ends meet. This is what Thomas Fuller seemed to imply with “that little that lapped over” in the above-mentioned passage.
What does "he cannot join one end of the year to the other" mean?
The following definition is from the 1st edition (1694) of the Dictionnaire de l’Académie française: He cannot join one end of the year to the other, to say, His goods are not sufficient for him to go until the end of the year. However, this explanation seems to correspond to a late extension of the English phrase, ...
What does "meet" mean in the second sentence?
In the phrase, both ends denotes the extremities of the year (that is, the beginning and the end), the verb meet means to agree or tally, so that the whole means to keep one’s finances, income and expenditure, in balance throughout the year.
What does "make both ends meet" mean?
meaning and origin of ‘to make (both) ends meet’. To make (both) ends meet means to earn just enough money to live on. It is first recorded in The History of the Worthies of England (1662), by the Church of England clergyman Thomas Fuller (1607/8-61).
Who said "to make the ends of the year meet"?
However, this explanation seems to correspond to a late extension of the English phrase, which is to make the (two) ends of the year meet, first recorded in The Adventures of Roderick Random (1748), by the Scottish author Tobias George Smollett (1721-71): This facetious person was a school-master, whose income being small, ...
Who wrote the book Old China?
Old China, by the English author Charles Lamb (1775-1834), first published in The London Magazine of March 1823, contains:
What does "end" mean in financial terms?
To live within one’s income. Some writers claim that the ends in question are the beginning and end of the (fiscal) year, and indeed the phrase was so stated by Tobias Smollett in 1748. Earlier examples, dating from the seventeenth century, are less specific, and the word end could equally well denote the sum total (end result or bottom line) of income and of expenditure. On the death of Herbert Hoover in 1964, someone recalled that he said, “About the time we can make the ends meet, somebody moves the ends.”
How to make faces?
make faces (at someone) make fair weather. make fast money. make fast work of (someone or something) make fish of one and flesh of another. make fish of one and flesh of the other. make fish of one and fowl of another. make fish of one and fowl of the other. make flesh crawl.
How to make a chin music?
make chalk of one and cheese of the other. make change. make change (for something) make chin music. make clear to. make common cause against (someone or something) make common cause with. make common cause with (someone or something) make contact with (someone or something)
What does "make ends meet" mean?
make (both) ends meet. To earn just enough money to pay one's bills. To make ends meet, Phil picked up a second job delivering pizzas. After the large income tax hike, many people suddenly found it difficult to make both ends meet. See also: end, make, meet.
Why is it so hard to make ends meet?
make ends meet. COMMON If you find it difficult to make ends meet, you find it difficult to pay for the things you need in life, because you have very little money . Many people are struggling to make ends meet because wages are failing to keep pace with rising prices.
Where did the phrase "make the ends of the year meet" come from?
This expression originated as make both ends meet, a translation from the French joindre les deux bouts (by John Clarke, 1639). The ends, it is assumed, allude to the sum total of income and expenditures. However, naval surgeon and novelist Tobias Smollett had it as "make the two ends of the year meet" ( Roderick Random, 1748), ...
Who said "make the two ends of the year meet"?
However, naval surgeon and novelist Tobias Smollett had it as "make the two ends of the year meet" ( Roderick Random, 1748), thought to go back to the common practice of splicing rope ends together in order to cut shipboard expenses. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
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Why did the characters in Nomadland turn to life on the road?
In the movie Nomadland, many of the characters turned to life on the road after they had trouble making ends meet living a traditional lifestyle. They didn’t have much savings and they couldn’t pay their expenses with government benefits.
What is a translation engine?
Translation engines are powerful tools for communicating in the modern world . However, they often miss the context and can either mislead you or leave you confused . Our human translators are here to make sure that you’re getting not only the correct definition, but also the full context .
What is the song of the week for JR?
JR’s song of the week. Today’s song of the week is “The Boxer” performed by Jerry Douglas. This is a famous song, a great song, originally by Simon and Garfunkel. It’s about loneliness and trying to make ends meet in New York; the narrator of the song left home at a young age and sought work in New York, but struggled with loneliness and poverty.
What does "make ends meet" mean?
This is a very common expression and it has a very specific meaning. It means to be able to pay your bills, to cover your expenses. It’s most often used to describe a personal or family budget. It can be used to describe a small business, but that is less common.
What does it mean to make ends meet?
To “make ends meet” means to be able to pay your bills, to cover your expenses.
What does "make ends meet" mean?
make ends meet, to. To live within one’s income. Some writers claim that the ends in question are the beginning and end of the (fiscal) year, and indeed the phrase was so stated by Tobias Smollett in 1748. Earlier examples, dating from the seventeenth century, are less specific, and the word end could equally well denote the sum total ...
Where did the phrase "make the ends of the year meet" come from?
This expression originated as make both ends meet, a translation from the French joindre les deux bouts (by John Clarke, 1639). The ends, it is assumed, allude to the sum total of income and expenditures. However, naval surgeon and novelist Tobias Smollett had it as "make the two ends of the year meet" ( Roderick Random, 1748), ...
What does "little effect" mean?
to little effect. to little purpose. to little/good/some/no purpose. to little/no avail. to look at (someone or something) to look at somebody/something. to make a long story short. to make ends meet. to my mind.
What does Muziyirwa argue about the government?
Muziyirwa argues that the government has failed to achieve policies to protect the people amid hyperinflation, and hence alienated thousands who are not able to make ends meet, secure meals, proper accommodation, or pay for education.
Why is it so hard to make ends meet?
Many people are struggling to make ends meet because wages are failing to keep pace with rising prices . He has trouble making ends meet because he can't find work ...
What does "make a long story short" mean?
to make a long story short. to make a long story short. to make a long story short. To make a march. to make a mint of money. to make a mountain of a molehill. to make a mountain out of a molehill.
Who said "make the two ends of the year meet"?
However, naval surgeon and novelist Tobias Smollett had it as "make the two ends of the year meet" ( Roderick Random, 1748), thought to go back to the common practice of splicing rope ends together in order to cut shipboard expenses. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
What does "mazati" mean in English?
Middle English, from Old English macian; akin to Old High German mahhōn to prepare, make, Greek magēnai to be kneaded, Old Church Slavonic mazati to anoint, smear
What does "make" mean in "form"?
make, form, and manufacture mean to cause to come into being. make is a word that can be used of many kinds of creation. She knows how to make a chair. They made many friends. form is used when the thing brought into being has a design or structure. The colonies formed a new nation. manufacture is used for the act of making something in a fixed way and usually by machinery. The company manufactures cars.
What does "make up a story" mean?
1 : to create from the imagination He made up a story.
What does "make a funny noise" mean?
2 : to cause to exist or occur Don't make trouble. It makes a funny noise.
What does "sail" mean?
1 : to set out on a voyage The ship made sail at midnight .
What does "toughness" mean?
1 : to treat as of importance The drill sergeant made much of his toughness.
What does "made good" mean?
2 : to prove to be capable also : succeed The play made good at the box office.
