poor man's

poor man's

A less desirable substitute for the genuine item. The local artist became known as the poor man's Picasso. I was happy with my new car, even though my friends called it a poor man's Jaguar.
See also: poor
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

the poor man's something

If you describe something as the poor man's something, you mean that it is similar to the second thing, but less expensive to buy or of lower quality. To some people, chicken livers are the poor man's foie gras. Note: People sometimes say that a person is the poor man's someone, meaning that they do something similar to that person, but not as well. Throughout his career Jason Bateman has been the poor man's Michael J. Fox.
See also: poor, something
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

the poor man's —

an inferior or cheaper substitute for the thing specified.
1991 Canberra Times Just as alarming is the prospect of FAEs, Fuel-Air Explosives… known as the poor man's atom bomb.
See also: poor
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • the poor man's
  • the poor man's something
  • a poor relation
  • be the best of a bad bunch
  • be the best of a bad lot
  • kick upstairs, to
  • things will work out
  • the best of a bad bunch/lot
  • best of a bad bunch
  • best of a bad lot
References in classic literature
At other times, Trotty might have learned a poor man's lesson from the wintry sun; but, he was past that, now.
Trotty might have read a poor man's allegory in the fading year; but he was past that, now.
But you are the Poor Man's Friend, you know, Sir Joseph.
'I AM the Poor Man's Friend,' observed Sir Joseph, glancing at the poor man present.
'My lady,' returned Sir Joseph, with solemnity, 'not the less am I the Poor Man's Friend and Father.
'I do my duty as the Poor Man's Friend and Father; and I endeavour to educate his mind, by inculcating on all occasions the one great moral lesson which that class requires.
He dared not do anything that would imply a stronger interest in a poor man's adopted child than could be expected from the kindliness of the young Squire, when a chance meeting suggested a little present to a simple old fellow whom others noticed with goodwill; but he told himself that the time would come when he might do something towards furthering the welfare of his daughter without incurring suspicion.
It was considered as being bad enough to be a slave; but to be a poor man's slave was deemed a disgrace indeed!
"Well, I have no objection to your contemplating Hetty in an artistic light, but I must not have you feeding her vanity and filling her little noddle with the notion that she's a great beauty, attractive to fine gentlemen, or you will spoil her for a poor man's wife--honest Craig's, for example, whom I have seen bestowing soft glances on her.
With thoughts like this, and with some vague design of travelling to a great distance among streams and mountains, where only very poor and simple people lived, and where they might maintain themselves by very humble helping work in farms, free from such terrors as that from which they fled--the child, with no resource but the poor man's gift, and no encouragement but that which flowed from her own heart, and its sense of the truth and right of what she did, nerved herself to this last journey and boldly pursued her task.
"How unjust this must be for that poor man's family and friends."
In a statement here, he said, this was no politics but was the issue of the poor man's life.
Te prices of poor man's fuel did not jump overnight but it was gradual increase.
Area people have demanded financial assistance for the members of the poor man's family from
Summary: Rethink follows query from auditors on why a revision had not taken place for 'poor man's chariot' and advice that cost of bedroll be included in fare