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hand-to-mouth

Involving immediate consumption with no provision for the future; having barely enough to survive, being close to poverty

Etymology:

  • hand + to + mouth
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“

She has been a widow these six or eight years, and has lived, I imagine, in rather a hand-to-mouth fashion.

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Submitted on July 10, 2018

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to hand-to-mouth

hold somebody's handin handhand offhave one's hand outHave Your Heart in Your Mouthhorse's mouthhand over handhand over handhand on a platehand overhat in handhand outhold somebody's handhand-in-glove

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