STINGY


Meaning of STINGY in English

I. ˈstinjē, -ji adjective

( -er/-est )

Etymology: probably from (assumed) English dialect stinge, n., sting + English -y; akin to Old English stingan to sting — more at sting

1. dialect chiefly England : biting , sharp

2.

a. : reluctant to deal out, grant, or part with something : not generous : sparing or scant in giving or spending

too stingy even to get a haircut before his wedding

b. : meanly scanty or small : meager

complained about his stingy allowance

a stingy little attic room

Synonyms:

parsimonious , penurious , cheeseparing , penny-pinching , miserly , curmudgeonly , niggardly , tight , tightfisted , closefisted , close : stingy , perhaps the most generally used term in this group, refers to notable want of generosity or liberality in giving, allotting, distributing, a want arising from a certain meanness of spirit

couldn't help being stingy, since parsimony ran in their blood — Victoria Sackville-West

had to request the thirteen states for tax levies, and since the states were jealous, stingy, and badly governed, they gave but grudging and inadequate help — Allan Nevins & H.S.Commager

parsimonious , penurious , cheeseparing , and penny-pinching refer to degrees and kinds of frugality. parsimonious suggests extreme frugality with stingy wariness about expenditure

a lonely bachelor life in caring for his property and in adding to it by parsimonious living — A.W.Long

had now become strictly parsimonious … and … devoted every energy of his mind to save shillings and pence — Anthony Trollope

penurious adds a suggestion of meanness to parsimonious

penurious restrictions upon the payment of legislators designed to discourage them — A.N.Holcombe

cheeseparing suggests a parsimoniousness marked by petty mean little economies

an example of cheeseparing economy at the dire risk of the national security — Walter Millis

penny-pinching suggests greedy, wary parsimoniousness in avoiding expense

a penny-pinching impresario who overlooked no opportunity to cut down the overhead — Bennett Cerf

miserly , curmudgeonly , and niggardly are derogatory or contemptuous terms for extreme illiberality and aversion to spending or dispensing. miserly suggests a morbid pleasure in hoarding, a sordid grasping meanness

expenditure was parsimonious and even miserly — J.R.Green

curmudgeonly suggests mean stinginess and crusty irascibility

the curmudgeonly old fool cutting off his wife with a bare pittance

niggardly implies a stinginess in giving, granting, expending whereby one begrudges any contribution to the welfare or happiness of others

we shall not be niggardly about this — Hugh Dalton

niggardly monastic prescriptions with regard to gleaning — G.G.Coulton

tight , tightfisted , closefisted , and close are somewhat informal expressions indicating reluctance and chariness about expending or contributing. tight suggests a general chary stinginess of nature or temperament

what in the name of God's the use of being so tight … you've got an expense account, haven't you — Dashiell Hammett

tightfisted and closefisted signify an accustomed reluctance to part with money and a careful vigilance against prodigality

you English are a tightfisted race — T.B.Costain

close , not so derogatory as the others, indicates either a certain stinginess or a marked caution about any expenditure

he wasn't as tight as you … but he was a little bit close so the bargain hung fire — Dashiell Hammett

II. ˈstiŋē, -ŋi adjective

( -er/-est )

Etymology: sting (II) + -y

: able to sting : having a sting or stinging hairs

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.