butcher's thumb
A dishonest practice in which a butcher uses their thumb to add extra weight to a scale when weighing meat.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The dishonest shopkeeper used a butcher's thumb to charge more for the meat.”
“Customers grew suspicious when they noticed the shopkeeper using a butcher's thumb to manipulate the scale during every transaction.”
“The inspector immediately revoked the license of the merchant after witnessing him employ a butcher's thumb to deceive unsuspecting patrons regarding the weight of their purchases.”
- 01
all fingers and thumbs
Of a person, clumsy or awkward.
- 02
all thumbs
Clumsy; awkward; not dextrous.
- 03
brown thumb
A lack of skill at growing plants; a poor gardening skill.
- 04
butcher's bill
death toll
- 05
fash one's thumb
To bother oneself; to worry about something.
- 06
green thumb
A natural skill for gardening.
- 07
rule of thumb
A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.
- 08
thumb a ride
To hitchhike.
Last updated August 10, 2026