make ends meet — to have just enough money to pay for basic necessities
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to have just enough money to pay for basic necessities
Pronunciation (IPA): /meɪk ɛndz mit/
Example Sentences
- After buying a luxury car, Tom now works three jobs just to make ends meet.
- Sarah started selling her grandmother's cookies online to help make ends meet.
- The freelance writer could barely make ends meet until his novel became a bestseller.
make ends meet
VERB[/meɪk ɛndz mit/]
to have just enough money to pay for basic necessities
She budgets carefully every month just to make ends meet.
Keep it neat to make ends meet and beat the heat!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This expression has been used since the 17th century, originating from household accounting metaphor where income (one end) and expenditure (the other end) must align. The phrase draws an analogy to the two ends of a rope that must be brought together, representing the need to balance income and spending.
Breakdown
make (create, achieve) + ends (extremities, limit points) + meet (come together, join). The 'ends' refer metaphorically to income and expenses as opposite poles that must reconcile.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“After buying a luxury car, Tom now works three jobs just to make ends meet.”
“Sarah started selling her grandmother's cookies online to help make ends meet.”
“The freelance writer could barely make ends meet until his novel became a bestseller.”
“My cat seems to think she needs a part-time job to help make ends meet after seeing the vet bill.”
📚Related Words
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