Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Wondering About the Word, "Cheapskate".

If I took it literally, I would say that it would be an inexpensive skate, either roller or ice. You know, like these ice skates:

During my college days at Penn State, I used to ice skate in the ice skating pavilion and at cabin parties on some of the nearby mountain lakes.  I wore a borrowed pair like the ones above.
 
The next thing that comes to my mind is this fish:
 

 But that is only because I like to surf fish and have caught many of these, both in the Atlantic and the Gulf.  I have also caught the stingrays.

OK, so far I have shown two different types of skates.  Another kind, the human kind of cheapskates are those who pinch pennies, hate to spend money, and are always looking for a bargain.  Some even clip hundreds of coupons.  Don't you just hate to get behind one of them at the check-out counter?
 


 
And of course, the extreme cheapskates are also dumpster divers:

 
 
OK, so a cheapskate is a penny pinching fish?  No.  There is another meaning to the skate part.  I read this on the Internet:
 

The most plausible theory about the "skate" in "cheapskate" traces it to the Scottish word "skate" which was a term of contempt. However, the definite origins are not known.
 
So, don't be a cheapskate and have a great day, you hear?
 
 


10 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. That depends on whether I am on the receiving end or the dishing it out end. I don't want anyone to have contempt for me.

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  2. I prefer to think that I'm frugal.... Isn't it funny how words like cheapskate, stingy, chintzy... and frugal kind of each have their own meaning? I'm from a college town and dumpster diving can be quite profitable at the end of the school year.. those kids throw out brand-new with the tags on clothing, furniture, appliances... you name it. Now I think the city made dumpster diving illegal... too bad as recycling is good for everyone.

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    Replies
    1. College kids don't care about all that stuff, since Daddy bought it for them, they just toss it. The fine for dumpster diving may be less than the goodies you could find.

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  3. I suppose the origin of "tightwad" is unknown, skinflint? flimflam?

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    Replies
    1. And what about skinflint, moneygrubber, Scrooge, hoarder, or pinchfist? So, what does your wife call you when you will not buy her something she wants? (grin)

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  4. I had forgotten i roller skated. We had visiting rinks during the summer and we bought our own skates later and used them for years. As for cheapskates, frugal here, never got to the dumpsters.

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    Replies
    1. I always thought that ice skating was so much easier than roller skating.

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