foolish
be penny-wise and dollar-foolish
To be so concerned with saving money in any way possible that one fails to allocate enough money to solve large or important problems, ultimately forcing one to spend more in the long run. I know you don't want to pay for this expensive course of treatment, but when ignoring your health lands you in the hospital and you have to miss work, you'll see that you were penny-wise and dollar-foolish. Don't be penny-wise and dollar-foolish when it comes to home repairs. Saving a few hundred dollars now on shoddy work could cost you several thousand down the line!
See also: and
be penny-wise and pound-foolish
To be so concerned with saving money that one ignores larger problems and ultimately ends up spending more. I know you don't want to pay for this expensive course of treatment, but when ignoring your health lands you in the hospital, you'll see that you were penny-wise and pound-foolish.
See also: and
it's a foolish sheep that makes the wolf his confessor
proverb You should only confide in people you know to be trustworthy. A: "I don't understand why he told Wendy his secret, knowing that she's a real busybody. Of course she blabbed it all over town!" B: "I know. It's a foolish sheep that makes the wolf his confessor."
See also: foolish, make, sheep, that, wolf
penny-wise and dollar-foolish
So concerned with saving money in any way possible that one fails to allocate enough money to solve large or important problems, ultimately forcing one to spend more in the long run. I know you don't want to pay for this expensive course of treatment, but when ignoring your health lands you in the hospital and you have to miss work, you'll see that you were penny-wise and dollar-foolish. Don't let yourself become penny-wise and dollar-foolish when it comes to home repairs. Saving a few hundred dollars now on shoddy work could cost you several thousand down the line!
See also: and
penny-wise and pound-foolish
So concerned with saving money in any way possible that one fails to allocate money to things that will ultimately force one to spend more (due to lack of quality, proper maintenance, etc.). I know you don't want to pay for this expensive course of treatment, but when ignoring your health lands you in the hospital and you have to miss work, you'll see that you were penny-wise and pound-foolish.
See also: and
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
penny-wise and pound-foolish
Prov. thrifty with small sums and foolish with large sums. (Describes someone who will go to a lot of trouble to save a little money, but overlooks large expenses to save a little money. Even in the United States, the reference is to British pounds sterling.) Sam: If we drive to six different grocery stores, we'll get the best bargains on everything we buy. Alan: But with gasoline so expensive, that's penny-wise and pound-foolish.
See also: and
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
penny wise and pound foolish
Stingy about small expenditures and extravagant with large ones, as in Dean clips all the coupons for supermarket bargains but insists on going to the best restaurants-penny wise and pound foolish . This phrase alludes to British currency, in which a pound was once worth 240 pennies, or pence, and is now worth 100 pence. The phrase is also occasionally used for being very careful about unimportant matters and careless about important ones. It was used in this way by Joseph Addison in The Spectator (1712): "A woman who will give up herself to a man in marriage where there is the least Room for such an apprehension ... may very properly be accused ... of being penny wise and pound foolish." [c. 1600]
See also: and, foolish, penny, pound, wise
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
penny-wise and pound-foolish
mainly BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONEDIf someone is penny-wise and pound-foolish, they are very careful about small amounts of money but not careful enough about large amounts. If we had employed a good accountant, we would never have lost the money. In other words, we have been penny-wise and pound-foolish here. We are being penny wise and pound foolish, trying to save a few dollars and hastening the time when we are going to have another accident.
See also: and
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
penny wise and pound foolish
careful and economical in small matters while being wasteful or extravagant in large ones.See also: and, foolish, penny, pound, wise
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
penny ˌwise (and) pound ˈfoolish
used to say that somebody is very careful about small matters but much less sensible about larger, more important things: When it comes to a used car, don’t be penny wise and pound foolish. Spend the money to have the vehicle checked out.See also: foolish, penny, pound, wise
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
penny wise and pound foolish
Penurious about small expenses and extravagant with large ones. That such a course is to be deplored was already made clear in the sixteenth century and was soon transferred to the foolishness of being fastidious about unimportant matters and careless about important ones. In The Spectator of 1712 Joseph Addison wrote, “I think a Woman who will give up herself to a Man in marriage, where there is the least Room for such an Apprehension . . . may very properly be accused . . . of being Penny Wise and Pound foolish.”
See also: and, foolish, penny, pound, wise
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- be penny-wise and dollar-foolish
- color of someone's money, see the
- comfortable circumstances
- be rolling in money
- funny money
- come into (some) money
- come into money
- be (right) on the money
- be burning a hole in (one's) pocket
- be burning a hole in your pocket