Yeah, interesting variant in OED is dingthrift: ding meaning 'To deal heavy
blows; to knock, hammer, thump'
I don't believe the skinflint definition. Associatively we might imagine a
link with stone-age flint hand-axes being used to skin hides from prey, but
imagining a sustainable etymological chain is another matter entirely. Can't
offer anything better though ;)
P
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Poetryetc provides a venue for a dialogue relating to
> poetry and poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf Of MJ Walker
> Sent: 27 October 2006 16:05
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: etymology question
>
> Hi, Mark. An obsolete meaning of "thrift" according to the
> Shorter Oxford is gains or inherited wealth (obviously from
> "thrive"), thus its definition of "spendthrift" as wasting
> (patri-)mon(e)y. For "skinflint"
> it gives "One who would skin a flint to save or gain
> something; an avaricious [etc] person." No doubt someone with
> access to an etymology dictionary will come up with more. Try Google.
> emjay
> Mark Weiss wrote:
>
> > Been puzzling over spendthrift and skinflint. Absent my
> books I rely
> > on the assembled.
> >
> > Mark
> >
>
> --
>
> M.J. Walker: http://walkoff.wordpress.com/
>
> Got to look at it at sunset when it's PINK My guidebook said.
> Good advice about anything I suppose.
>
> Kenneth Koch
>
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