thrift


Also found in: Thesaurus, Financial, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
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

  1. Act like they are bargaining with some Arab street trader … like they are buying lemons —John Wainwright
  2. False economy is like stopping one hole in a sieve —Samuel Johnson, April 17, 1788
  3. Frugal as a poor farmer’s wife —George Garrett
  4. Generous as someone who would give you the sleeves out of his vest —Anon
  5. His money comes from him like drops of blood —John Ray’s Proverbs
  6. Kept his wallet shut tight as an accordion —Anon
  7. Pinches a penny like money is going out of style —George Garrett
  8. Soliciting a miser is like fishing in the desert —Solomon Ibn Gabirol
  9. Thrifty as a French peasant —G. K. Chesterton
  10. Tight as a miser’s wallet —Anon
  11. 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.”

  12. Tight as a tic —Anon
  13. Tight as Dick’s headband —American colloquialism

    This was coined by and is still used by Texas ranchers.

  14. 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.”

  15. Tight as the paper on the wall —Mignon Eberhart
  16. Watch pennies like a streetcar conductor —Irwin Shaw
Similes Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1988 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun 1. [画像:thrift - any of numerous sun-loving low-growing evergreens of the genus Armeria having round heads of pink or white flowers]thrift - any of numerous sun-loving low-growing evergreens of the genus Armeria having round heads of pink or white flowers
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
subshrub, suffrutex - low-growing woody shrub or perennial with woody base
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
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

thrift

noun
Careful 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
Armeriabank Engels grasgierigheid zuinigheid
zawciąg

thrift

[θrɪft] thriftiness [ˈθrɪftɪnɪs]
A. Neconomía 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] néconomie fthrift shop n petite boutique d'articles d'occasion gérée au profit d'œuvres charitables
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

thrift

nSparsamkeit f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

thrift

[θrɪft] thriftiness [ˈθrɪftɪnɪs] nparsimonia
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. spaarsamigheid إقْتِصاد في الإنْفاق، عَدَم التَّبْذير пестеливост frugalidade šetrnost die Sparsamkeit sparsommelighed οικονομία, πνεύμα οικονομίας economía säästlikkus صرفه جویی taloudellisuus économie חסכנות कमखर्ची štedljivost, štednja takarékosság kehematan sparsemi economia 倹約 검소, 절약 taupumas taupība jimat cermat zuinigheid sparsommelighet oszczędność frugalidade cumpătare экономность šetrnosť, sporivosť, hospodárnosť varčnost štedljivost sparsamhet, god hushållning ความประหยัด tutum, idare 節儉 економність, ощадливість کفايت شعاري sự tiết kiệm, tính tiết kiệm 节俭
ˈthrifty adjective
showing thrift. a thrifty housewife. spaarsamig مُقْتَصِد пестелив econômico hospodárný sparsam sparsommelig οικονόμος, μη σπάταλος ahorrador, económico säästlik صرفه جو taloudellinen économe חסכני कम खर्च štedljiv takarékos hemat sparsamur economo 倹約の 검소한 taupus taupīgs berjimat cermat zuinig økonomisk, nøysom oszczędny económico econom экономный hospodárny varčen štedljiv sparsam, ekonomisk ประหยัด tutumlu, idareli 節儉的 економний, бережливий کفايت شعار tiết kiệm, tằn tiện 节俭的
ˈthriftily adverb
spaarsamig باقْتِصاد، بدون تَبْذير пестеливо frugalmente šetrně sparsam sparsommeligt οικονομικά ahorradoramente, económicamente säästlikult با صرفه جویی taloudellisesti avec économie בְּחִיסָכוֹן मितव्ययीता से, किफायतीपन से štedljivo takarékosan dengan hemat með sparsemi con economia 倹約して 검소하게 taupiai taupīgi dgn berjimat cermat zuinig sparsommelig oszczędnie frugalmente cumpătat, cu cumpătare экономно šetrne varčno štedljivo sparsamt, ekonomiskt อย่างประหยัด idareli bir şekilde, tutumla 節儉地 економно, бережливо کفايت شعاري سے tiết kiệm, tằn tiện 节俭地
ˈthriftiness noun
spaarsamigheid إقْتِصاد، تَبذير разточителен frugalidade hospodárnost die Sparsamkeit sparsommelighed οικονομία, φειδώ carácter ahorrador, economía säästlikkus صرفه جویی taloudellisuus économie חיסכון मितव्ययीता, किफायतीपन štedljivost takarékosság sifat hemat sparsemi economia 倹約 검소함 taupumas taupīgums sifat berjimat cermat zuinigheid sparsommelighet oszczędność frugalidade cumpătare экономность hospodárnosť, šetrnosť varčnost štedljivost sparsamhet ความมัธยัสถ์ tutumluluk, idare 節儉 марнотратний, неекономний کفايت شعاري sự tiết kiệm, tằn tiện 节俭
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
The fellow had a pretty fancy in names: the "Orb" Deposit Bank, the "Sceptre" Mutual Aid Society, the "Thrift and Independence" Association.
Art will still withhold herself from thrift, and she does well, for nothing but love has any right to her.
There was the truth of virginity and the truth of passion, the truth of wealth and of poverty, of thrift and of profligacy, of carelessness and abandon.
A Dodson would not be taxed with the omission of anything that was becoming, or that belonged to that eternal fitness of things which was plainly indicated in the practice of the most substantial parishioners, and in the family traditions,--such as obedience to parents, faithfulness to kindred, industry, rigid honesty, thrift, the thorough scouring of wooden and copper utensils, the hoarding of coins likely to disappear from the currency, the production of first-rate commodities for the market, and the general preference of whatever was home-made.
Shortly after this change in his circumstances he became an advocate of thrift, temperance, and steady industry, and quitted the International Association, of which he had been an enthusiastic supporter when dependent on his own skill and taste as a working mason.
In the pursuit of which, by thrift and management, I might reasonably expect, in about two hundred years, to be the wealthiest man in the kingdom.
But the Vicar's view of that seat of learning as a stepping-stone to Orders alone was quite a family tradition; and so rooted was the idea in his mind that perseverance began to appear to the sensitive son akin to an intent to misappropriate a trust, and wrong the pious heads of the household, who had been and were, as his father had hinted, compelled to exercise much thrift to carry out his uniform plan of education for the three young men.
The old gentleman is rusty to look at, but is reputed to have made good thrift out of aristocratic marriage settlements and aristocratic wills, and to be very rich.
She was a remarkably active and capable young woman, and, by her industry and thrift, and the most persevering self-denial, raised nine hundred dollars for her husband's freedom, which she paid, as she raised it, into the hands of his master.
Its garden, too, glowed with flowers: hollyhocks had sprung up tall as trees, lilies had opened, tulips and roses were in bloom; the borders of the little beds were gay with pink thrift and crimson double daisies; the sweetbriars gave out, morning and evening, their scent of spice and apples; and these fragrant treasures were all useless for most of the inmates of Lowood, except to furnish now and then a handful of herbs and blossoms to put in a coffin.
Here were not, as in other tombs, ignoble drawers, one above another, where thrift bestows its dead and labels them like specimens in a museum; all that was visible within the bronze gates was a gloomy-looking room, separated by a wall from the vault itself.
Most of the clerks were young men of good families, from the Highlands of Scotland, characterized by the perseverance, thrift, and fidelity of their country, and fitted by their native hardihood to encounter the rigorous climate of the North, and to endure the trials and privations of their lot; though it must not be concealed that the constitutions of many of them became impaired by the hardships of the wilderness, and their stomachs injured by occasional famishing, and especially by the want of bread and salt.

Full browser ?