Scrimp
/skrɪmp/noun
To be frugal or stingy; to use or provide too little.
Did you know?Scrimp is a late 17th-century English word whose exact origin is uncertain, but it appears alongside other “smallness” and “pinched” words that reflect the harsh reality of saving every last crumb.
Etymological Timeline
Late 17th Century
English
scrimp
“To be stingy; to save or provide sparingly.”
17th Century
English
scrimping
“Acting in a miserly or pinched way; making things too small or too short.”
Early Modern English
English
scrimp
“To make scant, narrow, or insufficient.”
Unknown
English
scrimp
“Origin uncertain; likely connected to words suggesting smallness, shrinking, or pinching.”