"That's a great deal to make one word mean," Alice said in a thoughtful tone. "When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humpty Dumpty, "I always pay it extra."

Thursday 18 November 2010

Cheese-paring

   
Cheese-paring is an adjective meaning giving or spending with reluctance; penny-pinching; parsimonius. It originates with the concept of someone who would shave (pare off) the rind of a cheese so as to waste as little as possible.

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