ENGLISH
REFERENCE

skimp

v.
US //ˈskɪmp// UK //skˈɪmp// skimp Archaic Dialect Informal
Synonyms
Etymology 1

Perhaps of North Germanic origin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *skimpijaną (“to skip, dance, gesture, mock”). Cognate with Icelandic skimpa (“to scoff at, scorn”), dialectal Swedish skimpa (“to skip, dance”), Faroese skumpa (“to shove, bump”), German schimpfen (“to grumble, scold”), Dutch schimpen (“to mock, make fun of, scold”). Possibly distantly related to change.

Etymology 2

Probably related to scamp and scrimp.

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