penny-father

English

Noun

penny-father (plural penny-fathers)

  1. (obsolete) A miser or penurious person who husbands each penny.
    • c. 1555, The Famous Historie of Fryer Bacon:
      On a time, hee being alone fulle of griefe and care, (griefe for his folies past, and care how to get a poore living for the remainder of his dayes) the Devill came to him and asked him what hee wanted (hee came not in a shape terrible, but like an old penny-father.)
    • 1629, Pasquil, Jests:
      Good old penny-father was glad of his liquor.

Synonyms

  • See Thesaurus:miser or Thesaurus:pauper.
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