Word Study
skimp
CIDE DICTIONARY
- To slight; to do carelessly; to scamp. [1913 Webster]
- To make insufficient allowance for; to scant; to scrimp. [1913 Webster]
skimp, v. i.
To save; to be parsimonious or niggardly. [1913 Webster]
skimp, a.
Scanty. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
skimp, v., adj., & n.
--v.
1 tr. (often foll. by in) supply (a person etc.) meagrely with food, money, etc.
2 tr. use a meagre or insufficient amount of, stint (material, expenses, etc.).
3 intr. be parsimonious.
--adj. scanty.
--n. colloq. a small or scanty thing, esp. a skimpy garment.
--v.
1 tr. (often foll. by in) supply (a person etc.) meagrely with food, money, etc.
2 tr. use a meagre or insufficient amount of, stint (material, expenses, etc.).
3 intr. be parsimonious.
--adj. scanty.
--n. colloq. a small or scanty thing, esp. a skimpy garment.
Etymology
18th c.: orig. unkn.: cf. SCRIMP
THESAURUS
skimp
begrudge, blink, carefully ignore, cold-shoulder, cut a corner, cut corners, dodge, economize, enforce economies, exiguous, famish, fudge, grudge, husband, keep within compass, live upon nothing, make ends meet, manage, pass over, pass over lightly, pinch, pinch pennies, poor, put something aside, save, scamp, scant, scanty, scrape, scrape and save, screw, scrimp, scrimpy, short, skim, skim over, skim the surface, skimpy, skip over, slight, slubber over, slur, slur over, spare, sparse, starve, stint, touch upon, touch upon lightlyFor further exploring for "skimp" in Webster Dictionary Online