See make ends meet in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
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"etymology_text": "Unknown. Perhaps originally referred to the ends of rope meeting, signifying continuity and therefore security and stability. Perhaps shifting later to refer to the attempt at making money last from one pay period to the next (i.e. the ends), thereby leaving no gap or break in the availability of funds. Compare French joindre les deux bouts (literally “join the two ends”) with the same meaning. The form make both ends meet is attested from the 17th century, and was the more common form until the early-to-mid 20th century.",
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{
"ref": "1748, Tobias Smollett, “The Adventures of Roderick Random”, in The Miscellaneous works of Tobias Smollett, page 18:",
"text": "... a schoolmaster, whose income being small, he was fain to keep a glass of good liquor for the entertainment of passengers, by which he made shift to make the two ends of the year meet.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1996, Chris Peters, Sudan: A Nation in the Balance, page 42:",
"text": "Although most of the poor and displaced in Khartoum struggle to make ends meet, a very small number not only find work, but form small co-operatives.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1997, Richard Ashcroft (lyrics and music), “Bitter Sweet Symphony”, performed by The Verve:",
"text": "'Cause it's a bitter sweet symphony that's life / Trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to money then you die",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2007, Peter Geoffrey Hall, London Voices, London Lives, page 269:",
"text": "Very many Londoners reported to us that they were struggling to make ends meet; that it was a constant battle to keep their heads above water, or that they had only just got into the position of being able to breathe freely.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2009 February 27, “Avarice and Audacity”, in The Guardian, UK:",
"text": "Barclays, which until now has made ends meet with costly loans from the Middle East rather than take public money, may soon join the queue for the emergency medicine too.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2022 April 6, “Network News: Spring Statement: Sunak accused of making rail less competitive”, in RAIL, number 954, page 8:",
"text": "TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes was typically forthright in his criticism by claiming that Sunak had \"blatantly failed\" to cure \"a growing tragedy\", as \"every single day, more and more families can't make ends meet\".",
"type": "quote"
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],
"glosses": [
"To have enough money to cover expenses; to get by financially; to get through the pay period (sufficient to meet the next payday)."
],
"id": "en-make_ends_meet-en-verb-L-mZrxdL",
"links": [
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[
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"money"
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[
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[
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"get by"
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],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic) To have enough money to cover expenses; to get by financially; to get through the pay period (sufficient to meet the next payday)."
],
"related": [
{
"word": "make a living"
},
{
"word": "make both ends meet"
}
],
"tags": [
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"translations": [
{
"code": "br",
"lang": "Breton",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "sec'hañ an eil dorn gant egile"
},
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "svǎ́rzvam dváta krája",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "свъ́рзвам два́та кра́я"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "量入為出"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "liàngrùwéichū",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "量入为出"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "維持生活"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "wéichí shēnghuó",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "维持生活"
},
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "vystačit s penězi do příští výplaty"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "rondkomen"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "de eindjes aan elkaar knopen"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "saada rahat riittämään"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "joindre les deux bouts"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "über die Runden kommen"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "über den Monat kommen"
},
{
"code": "he",
"lang": "Hebrew",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "לגמור את החודש"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "kijön a pénzéből"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "kijön a fizetéséből"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "ki tud jönni (pénzéből/fizetéséből)"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "far quadrare i conti"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "arrivare a fine mese"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "arrotondare lo stipendio"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "sbarcare il lunario"
},
{
"code": "ko",
"lang": "Korean",
"roman": "ibe pulchilhada",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "입에 풀칠하다"
},
{
"code": "lv",
"lang": "Latvian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "savilkt galus kopā"
},
{
"code": "nb",
"lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "få endene til å møtes"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "wiązać koniec z końcem"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "chegar ao fim do mês"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "conseguir pagar as contas"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "svodítʹ koncy s koncami",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "своди́ть концы с концами"
},
{
"code": "gd",
"lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "eadar am bogha is an t-sreang"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "llegar a fin de mes"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "redondear el presupuesto"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "hacer que alcance el dinero"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "hacer alcanzar el dinero"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "rebuscárselas"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "ir mal viviendo"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "ir tirando"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "apañarselas"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "arreglárselas"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "få ekonomin att gå ihop"
},
{
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "ayın sonunu getirmek"
},
{
"code": "wa",
"lang": "Walloon",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "ranukî ses corons eshonne"
}
]
}
],
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"word": "make ends meet"
}
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"lit": "join the two ends"
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"name": "noncog"
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"etymology_text": "Unknown. Perhaps originally referred to the ends of rope meeting, signifying continuity and therefore security and stability. Perhaps shifting later to refer to the attempt at making money last from one pay period to the next (i.e. the ends), thereby leaving no gap or break in the availability of funds. Compare French joindre les deux bouts (literally “join the two ends”) with the same meaning. The form make both ends meet is attested from the 17th century, and was the more common form until the early-to-mid 20th century.",
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"word": "make a living"
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"word": "make both ends meet"
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{
"ref": "1748, Tobias Smollett, “The Adventures of Roderick Random”, in The Miscellaneous works of Tobias Smollett, page 18:",
"text": "... a schoolmaster, whose income being small, he was fain to keep a glass of good liquor for the entertainment of passengers, by which he made shift to make the two ends of the year meet.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1996, Chris Peters, Sudan: A Nation in the Balance, page 42:",
"text": "Although most of the poor and displaced in Khartoum struggle to make ends meet, a very small number not only find work, but form small co-operatives.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1997, Richard Ashcroft (lyrics and music), “Bitter Sweet Symphony”, performed by The Verve:",
"text": "'Cause it's a bitter sweet symphony that's life / Trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to money then you die",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2007, Peter Geoffrey Hall, London Voices, London Lives, page 269:",
"text": "Very many Londoners reported to us that they were struggling to make ends meet; that it was a constant battle to keep their heads above water, or that they had only just got into the position of being able to breathe freely.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2009 February 27, “Avarice and Audacity”, in The Guardian, UK:",
"text": "Barclays, which until now has made ends meet with costly loans from the Middle East rather than take public money, may soon join the queue for the emergency medicine too.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2022 April 6, “Network News: Spring Statement: Sunak accused of making rail less competitive”, in RAIL, number 954, page 8:",
"text": "TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes was typically forthright in his criticism by claiming that Sunak had \"blatantly failed\" to cure \"a growing tragedy\", as \"every single day, more and more families can't make ends meet\".",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To have enough money to cover expenses; to get by financially; to get through the pay period (sufficient to meet the next payday)."
],
"links": [
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"enough",
"enough"
],
[
"money",
"money"
],
[
"expenses",
"expenses"
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[
"get by",
"get by"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic) To have enough money to cover expenses; to get by financially; to get through the pay period (sufficient to meet the next payday)."
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
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"translations": [
{
"code": "br",
"lang": "Breton",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "sec'hañ an eil dorn gant egile"
},
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "svǎ́rzvam dváta krája",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "свъ́рзвам два́та кра́я"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "量入為出"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "liàngrùwéichū",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "量入为出"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "維持生活"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "wéichí shēnghuó",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "维持生活"
},
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "vystačit s penězi do příští výplaty"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "rondkomen"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "de eindjes aan elkaar knopen"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "saada rahat riittämään"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "joindre les deux bouts"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "über die Runden kommen"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "über den Monat kommen"
},
{
"code": "he",
"lang": "Hebrew",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "לגמור את החודש"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "kijön a pénzéből"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "kijön a fizetéséből"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "ki tud jönni (pénzéből/fizetéséből)"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "far quadrare i conti"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "arrivare a fine mese"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "arrotondare lo stipendio"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "sbarcare il lunario"
},
{
"code": "ko",
"lang": "Korean",
"roman": "ibe pulchilhada",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "입에 풀칠하다"
},
{
"code": "lv",
"lang": "Latvian",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "savilkt galus kopā"
},
{
"code": "nb",
"lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "få endene til å møtes"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "wiązać koniec z końcem"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "chegar ao fim do mês"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "conseguir pagar as contas"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "svodítʹ koncy s koncami",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "своди́ть концы с концами"
},
{
"code": "gd",
"lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "eadar am bogha is an t-sreang"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "llegar a fin de mes"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "redondear el presupuesto"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "hacer que alcance el dinero"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "hacer alcanzar el dinero"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "rebuscárselas"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "ir mal viviendo"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "ir tirando"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "apañarselas"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "arreglárselas"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "få ekonomin att gå ihop"
},
{
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "ayın sonunu getirmek"
},
{
"code": "wa",
"lang": "Walloon",
"sense": "get by financially",
"word": "ranukî ses corons eshonne"
}
],
"word": "make ends meet"
}
Download raw JSONL data for make ends meet meaning in English (9.7kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.