make ends meet

The origin of the phrase is uncertain, though the form *make both ends meet* was the standard iteration from the 17th century until the early-to-mid 20th century. One theory suggests the expression originally referred to the ends of a rope. To make such ends meet was to ensure continuity, thereby providing a measure of security and stability for the task at hand.

A competing, perhaps later, explanation involves the attempt to make one's finances last from the start of a pay period to the conclusion of the next. In this sense, the ends are the temporal boundaries of the budget; making them meet ensures no gap in the availability of funds occurs. The French equivalent, *joindre les deux bouts*, suggests the concept of joining two ends for solvency is a shared European preoccupation.