IdiomBody & Senses
English
Englishhand to mouth
Meaning: To live in poor conditions from day to day; to be impoverished.
Example: “When they first moved to the city, they lived hand to mouth.”
Equivalents in other languages
French: Tirer le diable par la queue Literally: To pull the devil by the tail
Origin: Found in English from the early 16th century. It pictures someone so poor that whatever food or money comes into their hand goes straight to their mouth, with nothing left to save.
More English idioms
- hold one's tongue To refrain from speaking.
- huff and puff To breathe heavily; or to bluster and make empty threats.
- in over one's head Involved in something beyond one's ability to handle.
- it's no skin off someone's nose It has no effect on someone or it is of no concern to someone.
- keep one's head above water To just barely manage, especially financially or with one's workload.
- keep one's nose to the grindstone To work hard without rest.
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