Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
poor-as-a-church-mouse
idiom
/pɔːr əz ə tʃɜːrtʃ maʊs/
Definition
An expression used to describe someone who is extremely poor or lacking in financial resources.
Examples
- After losing his job, he felt poor-as-a-church-mouse and struggled to make ends meet.
- She lived poor-as-a-church-mouse for years while she pursued her education.
Meaning
The phrase conveys a sense of utter poverty, emphasizing the absence of wealth to the point that the person is as impoverished as a church mouse, which is often depicted as having very little food or shelter.
Synonyms
- penniless
- impoverished
- destitute
- broke
