hand-to-mouth

[ hand-tuh-mouth ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

offering or providing the barest livelihood, sustenance, or support; meager; precarious:
a hand-to-mouth existence.

hand-to-mouth

with barely enough money or food to satisfy immediate needs
a hand-to-mouth existence

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First recorded in 1500–10

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He has a hand-to-mouth, nomad existence, ending in the inevitable frozen misery of the workhouse.

And many pioneers in whom the roving instinct was strong went on from year to year in this hand-to-mouth fashion.

There followed three similar years of a hand-to-mouth existence, the privations of which he endured in silence.

All around them the diggers were getting gold--not a mere hand-to-mouth living, but gold to spend, to squander.

I hate the brilliant, disorderly hand-to-mouth sort of Bohemia, Kenny, in which you seem to thrive.

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