tight-fisted

/ˌtaɪt ˈfɪstɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌtaɪt ˈfɪstɪd/ (ame, ipa)

tight-fisted — adjective

1. describes someone who hates spending or sharing their money, especially when the

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes someone who hates spending or sharing their money, especially when they have enough to be more generous.

例句

Wei is so tight-fisted that he washes and reuses plastic bags to avoid buying new ones.

predicative: be + so + tight-fisted + that-clause

Tenants complained about the tight-fisted landlord who refused to repair the leaky roof.

attributive: tight-fisted + noun (landlord)

同義詞
  • stingy

    more common and slightly less harsh than tight-fisted; the neutral synonym

  • miserly

    stronger; suggests someone who hoards money miserably, living poorly on purpose

  • mean

    British English; more general — can describe unkindness with money or in other ways

  • parsimonious

    formal and rare; used in academic or official writing

反義詞
  • generous

    the direct opposite; willingness to give or spend freely

  • open-handed

    idiomatic; gives freely and without hesitation

  • lavish

    even stronger than generous; spending or giving more than expected

文法句型

tight-fisted + noun (attributive)

be + tight-fisted (predicative)

tight-fisted + with + noun

用法筆記

Strongly negative connotation — implies meanness rather than sensible economy. Can describe both individuals (tight-fisted boss) and institutions (tight-fisted budget policy). Frequently followed by 'with' to specify what someone is unwilling to spend (tight-fisted with tips, tight-fisted with wages).

常見錯誤

❌My grandfather is tight-fisted with his health.
✅My grandfather is tight-fisted with his money.
💡'tight-fisted' only applies to money or resources, not abstract things like health.
❌She gave a tight-fisted speech at the ceremony.
✅She gave a brief, tight-lipped speech at the ceremony.
💡'tight-fisted' describes unwillingness to spend money, not emotional restraint.