   Pinch a Penny Till It SquealsIn Southern and Appalachian speech, "Pinch a Penny Till It Squeals" means to be very frugal or miserly - a humorous exaggeration of someone saving money to the extreme. #SouthernSayings #Appalachia #PeopleandRelationships #Southern #MoneyWorkandChores synonyms: tight, cheap Hillbilly Dude Says...  You’ll hear "Pinch a Penny Till It Squeals" in Southern and Appalachian speech to describe someone extremely tight with money - so frugal they squeeze every last cent. Hillbilly Dude Says... You’ll hear "Pinch a Penny Till It Squeals" in Southern and Appalachian speech to describe someone extremely tight with money - so frugal they squeeze every last cent. Pronunciation[PINCH a PEN-ny till it SQUEALS] /pɪnʧ ə ˈpɛni tɪl ɪt skwiːlz/ Meaning & Usage- Extremely frugal or miserly (simile)
Mae:
He got plenty of money but won’t spend a dime.
Earl:
That man’ll pinch a penny till it squeals.★ This saying exaggerates frugality by imagining a penny screaming under pressure. Rural Southerners also say "pinch a nickel till the buffalo bellows" or "squeeze a dime till it cries," showing the same humorous spirit. ★ Origin and EtymologyVariants appear in 19th- and early 20th-century Southern and Midwestern newspapers. The image likely arose as a humorous rural exaggeration of thrift, with "pinch" meaning to squeeze or withhold. Usage NotesStill heard in rural Southern/Appalachian speech. Outside the region it’s understood but may sound quaint or colorful. Used jokingly or affectionately about someone who’s careful with money. Say It Like a SouthernerSay it natural: often "pinch a penny ’til it squeals" - with "until" shortened to "’til" in everyday speech. | ...
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