What does “To live from hand to mouth.” mean?
"To live from hand to mouth" means to subsist on a day-to-day basis without any security or surplus, implying a sense of poverty or hardship and suggesting a lack of planning or foresight.
What context can I use the in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
Example
After losing his job, he had to live from hand to mouth. He struggled to make ends meet and had no savings to rely on.
After losing his job, he had to live from hand to mouth. He struggled to make ends meet and had no savings to rely on.
Example
Growing up in a poor neighborhood, they had to live from hand to mouth. They couldn't afford to plan for the future.
Growing up in a poor neighborhood, they had to live from hand to mouth. They couldn't afford to plan for the future.
Example
She never learned how to manage her finances properly, so she always had to live from hand to mouth. She never had any savings or security
She never learned how to manage her finances properly, so she always had to live from hand to mouth. She never had any savings or security
Is “To live from hand to mouth.” an expression, an idiom, or a proverb?
“To live from hand to mouth.” is a proverb. A proverb is a short saying that teaches us something important or gives us advice. Unlike an idiom, it’s easy to understand even if it uses figurative language.
How would I use “To live from hand to mouth.” effectively in context?
You can use "To live from hand to mouth" to describe a situation where someone is barely able to meet their basic needs and has no financial security or surplus. It implies a sense of poverty or hardship, often due to a lack of planning or foresight. For example, if someone is struggling financially and has no savings or assets, you might say, 'They are living from hand to mouth.'
- 1Financial Struggles
After losing his job, he had to live from hand to mouth. He struggled to make ends meet and had no savings to rely on.
After losing his job, he had to live from hand to mouth. He struggled to make ends meet and had no savings to rely on.
- 2Growing Up in Poverty
Growing up in a poor neighborhood, they had to live from hand to mouth. They couldn't afford to plan for the future.
Growing up in a poor neighborhood, they had to live from hand to mouth. They couldn't afford to plan for the future.
- 3Poor Financial Management
She never learned how to manage her finances properly, so she always had to live from hand to mouth. She never had any savings or security.
She never learned how to manage her finances properly, so she always had to live from hand to mouth. She never had any savings or security.
Similar phrases to “To live from hand to mouth.”:
Hand-to-mouth existence
A life of poverty or financial instability
Example
Growing up in a poor neighborhood, they had a hand-to-mouth existence. They struggled to meet their basic needs.
Growing up in a poor neighborhood, they had a hand-to-mouth existence. They struggled to meet their basic needs.
Good things to know:
Where does the phrase “To live from hand to mouth.” come from?
The origin of the phrase "To live from hand to mouth" is unknown.
Is “To live from hand to mouth.” common in everyday conversation?
"To live from hand to mouth" is a relatively common proverb in everyday conversation. It is often used to describe financial struggles or a lack of financial stability.
What tone does “To live from hand to mouth.” have?
"To live from hand to mouth" conveys a tone of hardship and struggle. It describes a difficult situation where someone is barely able to meet their basic needs and has no financial security.
Can “To live from hand to mouth.” be used in informal and formal settings?
"To live from hand to mouth" is a relatively informal proverb. It is commonly used in casual conversations and storytelling to describe financial difficulties.
Can it be used by itself, or is it usually part of a sentence?
It is commonly used as part of a sentence to convey its full meaning. For example, 'After losing his job, he had to live from hand to mouth.' However, in informal conversations, people might understand the proverb even if used alone, like saying 'Living from hand to mouth' to imply a difficult financial situation.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
- struggle financially
- live paycheck to paycheck
- have no financial cushion
- be in dire straits
- be on the brink of poverty
Antonyms
- surplus
- financial stability
- financial security
- financial independence
- wealth
