Tight-Fisted

Also: Close-fisted

Meaning of Idiom ‘Tight-Fisted’

To be tight-fisted means to be unwilling to spend money; stingy and miserly. 1Pare, May. Body Idioms and More: For Learners of English. United States?: Mayuree Pare, 2005.

Examples Of Use

“I would ask my father for a loan but he’s so tight-fisted I know he would never help.”

“Everyone was surprised when Uncle Paul, the most tight-fisted person in the family, paid for everyone’s dinner at the restaurant.”

“You’d never know Mr. Garrisson was rich. He’s so close-fisted he drives a beat-up junker for a car and lives in a small cottage.”

Origin

Used since at least the latter half of the 1800’s, this idiom alludes to tightly holding on to one’s money as if clenching one’s fist. A similar idiom tight with money has been used since the early 1900’s.

More Idioms Starting with T

• Take a Nosedive
• That’s Saying Something
• Too Much On One’s Plate
• Tick Off
• Ticked Off

More Body Part Idioms

• Go Belly Up
• Stand On Someone’s Shoulders
• In One’s Face
• Give Someone the Cold Shoulder
• Know Something Like the Back Of One’s Hand

More Fist Idioms

More Money Related Idioms

• What’s the Damage?
• Moolah
• Flat Broke
• Last of the Big Spenders
• Ten-Dollar Word

More Tight Idioms

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