Dictionary

penny wise and pound foolish en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From the British currency (one penny being one hundredth of a pound or, prior to decimalisation, one 240th of a pound).

Meanings

1. (idiomatic, not-comparable, usually) Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful with large amounts.
   • In the past our government has nowhere been more penny wise and pound foolish than in connection with its expenditures for conservation. 1942, Harry Elmer Barnes, Society in Transition: Problems of a Changing Age, page 122:

Forms

Relateds

chase pennies with dollars · false economy · penny-wise · pound-foolish · take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves · in for a penny, in for a pound

Translations (15)

th เสียน้อยเสียยาก เสียมากเสียง่าย (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · ja 安物買いの銭失い (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · cmn 捨本逐末 /舍本逐末 (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · ru эконо́мный в мелоча́х и расточи́тельный в кру́пном (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · cy achub y blewyn a cholli’r bwrn (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · fi pikkuasioissa tarkka mutta suurissa tuhlaavainen (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · ro scump la tărâțe și ieftin la făină (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · es el dinero del pobre dos veces se gasta (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · sh tko štedi čavao, izgubi potkovu (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · pl oszczędny, jeśli chodzi o małe kwoty, a rozrzutny w przypadku dużych sum (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · ur گانتھ کا پورا عقل کا اندھا (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · is spara eyrinn en kasta krónunni (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · es el dinero del avaro, dos veces va al mercado (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · es ahorra en el chocolate del loro (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts) · el ακριβός στα πίτουρα και φτηνός στ’ αλεύρι (thrifty with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts)