What are idioms that are antonymous to “don't skimp on”?
The idiom "don't skimp on" means don't be shy and put as much as necessary. I am now wondering if there are idioms that mean the opposite of that. I am sure there are many, but it's hard to look for idioms since you can't look them up on a dictionary unless you know them.
For example:
Please, don't skimp on the butter. It's good stuff!
idiom-request
asked 6 hours ago
wokenwoken
194
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woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
The idiom "don't skimp on" means don't be shy and put as much as necessary. I am now wondering if there are idioms that mean the opposite of that. I am sure there are many, but it's hard to look for idioms since you can't look them up on a dictionary unless you know them.
For example:
Please, don't skimp on the butter. It's good stuff!
idiom-request
asked 6 hours ago
wokenwoken
194
New contributor
woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?
– Lambie
5 hours ago
add a comment |
The idiom "don't skimp on" means don't be shy and put as much as necessary. I am now wondering if there are idioms that mean the opposite of that. I am sure there are many, but it's hard to look for idioms since you can't look them up on a dictionary unless you know them.
For example:
Please, don't skimp on the butter. It's good stuff!
idiom-request
asked 6 hours ago
wokenwoken
194
New contributor
woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
The idiom "don't skimp on" means don't be shy and put as much as necessary. I am now wondering if there are idioms that mean the opposite of that. I am sure there are many, but it's hard to look for idioms since you can't look them up on a dictionary unless you know them.
For example:
Please, don't skimp on the butter. It's good stuff!
idiom-request
idiom-request
asked 6 hours ago
wokenwoken
194
New contributor
woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 6 hours ago
wokenwoken
194
New contributor
woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 6 hours ago
wokenwoken
194
New contributor
woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 6 hours ago
wokenwoken
194
asked 6 hours ago
wokenwoken
194
194
New contributor
woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?
– Lambie
5 hours ago
add a comment |
You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?
– Lambie
5 hours ago
You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?
– Lambie
5 hours ago
You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?
– Lambie
5 hours ago
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
We are unlikely to use the antonym in the imperative form. We don't tell people to "use less than is needed".
There are plenty of ways to describe someone using less of something
He was scrimping (and saving)
He was being frugal
He was stingy
He was mean with the butter
He was being careful with the butter.
These have a different nuance. Being "frugal" and "careful" are generally positive. Being mean or stingy are negative.
answered 6 hours ago
James KJames K
38.2k13997
You're right...
– James K
5 hours ago
add a comment |
You could say:
"Go easy on the ..."
"Light on the ..."
"Don't over-do it on ..."
"Be sparing with ..."
"Don't get carried away with the ..."
"Take it easy with the ..."
"Be judicious with ..."
"Use a light touch with the ..."
or even the simple, "Not too much ..."
answered 5 hours ago
Lorel C.Lorel C.
3,54149
Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.
– Lambie
5 hours ago
Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.
– Lorel C.
5 hours ago
add a comment |
Please give me [just adjectives]
- just a little butter.
- a tad of butter.
- just a dab of butter.
- just a teeny bit of butter.
Actual idioms:
Please go light on the butter. To go light on butter or cream or sugar. Anything you add to food or drink.
Please don't overdo it on the butter. [not too much, same as above]
Please hold off on the butter. [not any]
answered 5 hours ago
LambieLambie
16.2k1436
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
We are unlikely to use the antonym in the imperative form. We don't tell people to "use less than is needed".
There are plenty of ways to describe someone using less of something
He was scrimping (and saving)
He was being frugal
He was stingy
He was mean with the butter
He was being careful with the butter.
These have a different nuance. Being "frugal" and "careful" are generally positive. Being mean or stingy are negative.
answered 6 hours ago
James KJames K
38.2k13997
You're right...
– James K
5 hours ago
add a comment |
We are unlikely to use the antonym in the imperative form. We don't tell people to "use less than is needed".
There are plenty of ways to describe someone using less of something
He was scrimping (and saving)
He was being frugal
He was stingy
He was mean with the butter
He was being careful with the butter.
These have a different nuance. Being "frugal" and "careful" are generally positive. Being mean or stingy are negative.
answered 6 hours ago
James KJames K
38.2k13997
You're right...
– James K
5 hours ago
add a comment |
We are unlikely to use the antonym in the imperative form. We don't tell people to "use less than is needed".
There are plenty of ways to describe someone using less of something
He was scrimping (and saving)
He was being frugal
He was stingy
He was mean with the butter
He was being careful with the butter.
These have a different nuance. Being "frugal" and "careful" are generally positive. Being mean or stingy are negative.
answered 6 hours ago
James KJames K
38.2k13997
We are unlikely to use the antonym in the imperative form. We don't tell people to "use less than is needed".
There are plenty of ways to describe someone using less of something
He was scrimping (and saving)
He was being frugal
He was stingy
He was mean with the butter
He was being careful with the butter.
These have a different nuance. Being "frugal" and "careful" are generally positive. Being mean or stingy are negative.
answered 6 hours ago
James KJames K
38.2k13997
edited 5 hours ago
answered 6 hours ago
James KJames K
38.2k13997
answered 6 hours ago
James KJames K
38.2k13997
answered 6 hours ago
James KJames K
38.2k13997
38.2k13997
You're right...
– James K
5 hours ago
add a comment |
You're right...
– James K
5 hours ago
You're right...
– James K
5 hours ago
You're right...
– James K
5 hours ago
add a comment |
You could say:
"Go easy on the ..."
"Light on the ..."
"Don't over-do it on ..."
"Be sparing with ..."
"Don't get carried away with the ..."
"Take it easy with the ..."
"Be judicious with ..."
"Use a light touch with the ..."
or even the simple, "Not too much ..."
answered 5 hours ago
Lorel C.Lorel C.
3,54149
Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.
– Lambie
5 hours ago
Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.
– Lorel C.
5 hours ago
add a comment |
You could say:
"Go easy on the ..."
"Light on the ..."
"Don't over-do it on ..."
"Be sparing with ..."
"Don't get carried away with the ..."
"Take it easy with the ..."
"Be judicious with ..."
"Use a light touch with the ..."
or even the simple, "Not too much ..."
answered 5 hours ago
Lorel C.Lorel C.
3,54149
Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.
– Lambie
5 hours ago
Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.
– Lorel C.
5 hours ago
add a comment |
You could say:
"Go easy on the ..."
"Light on the ..."
"Don't over-do it on ..."
"Be sparing with ..."
"Don't get carried away with the ..."
"Take it easy with the ..."
"Be judicious with ..."
"Use a light touch with the ..."
or even the simple, "Not too much ..."
answered 5 hours ago
Lorel C.Lorel C.
3,54149
You could say:
"Go easy on the ..."
"Light on the ..."
"Don't over-do it on ..."
"Be sparing with ..."
"Don't get carried away with the ..."
"Take it easy with the ..."
"Be judicious with ..."
"Use a light touch with the ..."
or even the simple, "Not too much ..."
answered 5 hours ago
Lorel C.Lorel C.
3,54149
answered 5 hours ago
Lorel C.Lorel C.
3,54149
answered 5 hours ago
Lorel C.Lorel C.
3,54149
answered 5 hours ago
Lorel C.Lorel C.
3,54149
3,54149
Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.
– Lambie
5 hours ago
Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.
– Lorel C.
5 hours ago
add a comment |
Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.
– Lambie
5 hours ago
Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.
– Lorel C.
5 hours ago
Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.
– Lambie
5 hours ago
Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.
– Lambie
5 hours ago
Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.
– Lorel C.
5 hours ago
Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.
– Lorel C.
5 hours ago
add a comment |
Please give me [just adjectives]
- just a little butter.
- a tad of butter.
- just a dab of butter.
- just a teeny bit of butter.
Actual idioms:
Please go light on the butter. To go light on butter or cream or sugar. Anything you add to food or drink.
Please don't overdo it on the butter. [not too much, same as above]
Please hold off on the butter. [not any]
answered 5 hours ago
LambieLambie
16.2k1436
add a comment |
Please give me [just adjectives]
- just a little butter.
- a tad of butter.
- just a dab of butter.
- just a teeny bit of butter.
Actual idioms:
Please go light on the butter. To go light on butter or cream or sugar. Anything you add to food or drink.
Please don't overdo it on the butter. [not too much, same as above]
Please hold off on the butter. [not any]
answered 5 hours ago
LambieLambie
16.2k1436
add a comment |
Please give me [just adjectives]
- just a little butter.
- a tad of butter.
- just a dab of butter.
- just a teeny bit of butter.
Actual idioms:
Please go light on the butter. To go light on butter or cream or sugar. Anything you add to food or drink.
Please don't overdo it on the butter. [not too much, same as above]
Please hold off on the butter. [not any]
answered 5 hours ago
LambieLambie
16.2k1436
Please give me [just adjectives]
- just a little butter.
- a tad of butter.
- just a dab of butter.
- just a teeny bit of butter.
Actual idioms:
Please go light on the butter. To go light on butter or cream or sugar. Anything you add to food or drink.
Please don't overdo it on the butter. [not too much, same as above]
Please hold off on the butter. [not any]
answered 5 hours ago
LambieLambie
16.2k1436
answered 5 hours ago
LambieLambie
16.2k1436
answered 5 hours ago
LambieLambie
16.2k1436
answered 5 hours ago
LambieLambie
16.2k1436
16.2k1436
add a comment |
add a comment |
woken is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
woken is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
woken is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?
– Lambie
5 hours ago