Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SKINFLINT

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connect today's word to others: If you stopped tipping your pizza delivery driver so you could save a few dollars--not cool!--you might be a cheese___er: someone who saves money by slicing off tiny expenses one by one, as if from a block of cheese. You might even be a skinflint. But, I'd never call you one. Not to your face. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "SKINFLINT" Flint is that kind of rock that gives off sparks when you strike it, so it's useful for starting fires. And to skin something is to remove its skin or remove its outermost layer. For a few hundred years, we've used phrases like "skin a flint," "skin a louse," and "skin a flea" to mean "do anything petty to save a little money." So, a skinflint is a miser, someone who would "skin a flint" (or sharpen a flint instead of just replacing it) to save a tiny bit of money. In other words, a skinflint is someone greedy and petty who goes to extremes to save money. The word "skinflint" is also an adjective. Skinflint people and things are greedy, petty, and focused on going to extremes to save money. Pronunciation: SKIN flint Part of speech: Both a noun (the countable kind: "she's a skinflint," "these skinflints") and an adjective ("that skinflint boss," "these skinflint cutbacks"). Other forms: skinflints, skinflinty How to use it: Use this rare, harsh, insulting word when you need to be more emphatic than you could with synonyms like "miser," "cheapskate," and "money-grubber." Refer to someone as a skinflint, but brace yourself to be slapped. Often we talk about skinflints as a group, behind their backs, of course: "a cheap product skinflints love." Or, use the adjective and talk about skinflint ways, habits, budgeting, operations, administrations, etc. ("Skinflint" is an adjective, but if you prefer, use the other adjective, "skinflinty.") You can even talk about skinflint precision, brevity, or terseness. Finally, although "skinflint" is usually an insult, you could use it for lighthearted sass, e.g., "Only a skinflint would pass on their guacamole." examples: The guides approached us to ask for tips, and there we stood, cashless and wide-eyed like dumb tourists--dumb skinflint tourists. "The best argument in favour of generosity is that no one remembers a skinflint fondly. Maecenas assisted Virgil and reputedly gave Horace a farm; he went on to star in the latter's poetry and now his name lives on as a byword for patronage."    — Jonathan Jones, The Guardian, 9 June 2010 study it: Explain the meaning of "skinflint" without saying "Scrooge" or "tightwad." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Someone's) a skinflint; (he/she) won't even _____." Example: "She's a skinflint; she won't even buy a $4 box of cookies from the Girl Scouts." before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Quintessential TV Quotes! Each day, match the given vocabulary word to the quote that best illustrates it. From the previous issue: From Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which quote below illustrates someone being fastidious? Quote A: Xander: Whoa, Giles has a TV. Everybody, Giles has a TV! He's shallow, like us! Quote B: Willow: We can come by between classes. Usually I use that time to copy over my class notes with a system of different colored pens. But it's been pointed out to me that that's, you know... insane. Tara: I said "quirky." Quote C: Giles: To forgive is an act of compassion, Buffy. It's, it's… it's not done because people deserve it. It's done because they need it. Answer: In quote B, Willow describes her fastidious study habits. Try this one today: From The Middle, which quote below illustrates a quintessence? Quote A: Brick: I smell cooking. Is Grandma here? Quote B: Frankie: I want family in this house, Mike. Otherwise it's not Thanksgiving. It's just overeating! Quote C: Mike: You want a car? You're gonna have to work for it and earn it yourself. Axl: Yeah...uh...I had a job. It sucked, but I still want a car, so you see my dilemma. Mike: Well, you know, I have a job and a car, so you see the connection. review today's word: 1. The opposite of SKINFLINTY is A. JADED. B. NUANCED. C. OPENHANDED. 2. In the media they're painted as skinflints, as employers who _____. A. pay starvation wages B. keep America competitive C. treat their workers like family Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. A