be penny-wise

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• Penny wise — Penny Pen*ny, n.; pl. {Pennies}or {Pence}. Pennies denotes the number of coins; pence the amount of pennies in value. [OE. peni, AS. penig, pening, pending; akin to D. penning, OHG. pfenning, pfenting, G. pfennig, Icel. penningr; of uncertain… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• penny-wise and/but pound-foolish — careful about small amounts of money but not about large amounts used especially to describe something that is done to save a small amount of money now but that will cost a large amount of money in the future The administration s plans to cut fu …   Useful english dictionary

• penny-wise — [pen′ē wīz′] adj. careful or thrifty in regard to small matters penny wise and pound foolish careful or thrifty in small matters but careless or wasteful in major ones * * * pen·ny wise or pen·ny·wise (pĕnʹē wīz ) adj. Careful in dealing with… …   Universalium

• penny wise, pound foolish — Someone who is penny wise, pound foolish can be very careful or mean with small amounts of money, yet wasteful and extravagant with large sums …   The small dictionary of idiomes

• penny-wise — [pen′ē wīz′] adj. careful or thrifty in regard to small matters penny wise and pound foolish careful or thrifty in small matters but careless or wasteful in major ones …   English World dictionary

• penny wise and pound foolish — Wise or careful in small things but not careful enough in important things. A proverb. * /Mr. Smith s fence is rotting and falling down because he wouldn t spend money to paint it. He is penny wise and pound foolish./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

• penny wise and pound foolish — Wise or careful in small things but not careful enough in important things. A proverb. * /Mr. Smith s fence is rotting and falling down because he wouldn t spend money to paint it. He is penny wise and pound foolish./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

• penny wise, dollar dumb — wise in saving, foolish in spending; burn a hole in your pocket    You spent our carefully saved money on an expensive electric organ that neither of us can play! Now that is penny wise, dollar dumb! …   English idioms

• penny-wise and pound-foolish — wise or careful in small things to the costly neglect of important things He is penny wise and pound foolish and is always wasting his money on things that he doesn t need …   Idioms and examples

• penny wise and pound foolish — ► penny wise and pound foolish economical in small matters but extravagant in large ones. Main Entry: ↑penny …   English terms dictionary

• penny wise — adjective 1. Careful at saving small sums, esp when careless in the saving of larger ones (pound foolish) 2. Niggardly on occasions when generosity is needed or expected • • • Main Entry: ↑penny …   Useful english dictionary