Brewer's: Losing a Ship for a Haporth o' Tar

Suffering a great loss out of stinginess. By mean savings, or from want of some necessary outlay, to lose the entire article. For example, to save the expense of a nail and lose the horse-shoe as the first result, then to lame the horse, and finally perhaps kill it.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Related Content