poor — [poor] adj. [ME pore < OFr povre < L pauper, poor < IE base * pōu , small > FEW, FOAL] 1. a) lacking material possessions; having little or no means to support oneself; needy; impoverished b) indicating or characterized by poverty 2.… … English World dictionary
poor — adj 1 Poor, indigent, needy, destitute, penniless, impecunious, poverty stricken, necessitous are comparable when they mean having less money or fewer possessions than are required to support a full life. Poor describes a person, a people, or an… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
poor — (adj.) c.1200, from O.Fr. poure (Fr. pauvre), from L. pauper poor, perhaps a compound of paucus little and parare to get. Replaced O.E. earm. The poor boy sandwich, made of simple but filling ingredients, was invented and named in New Orleans in… … Etymology dictionary
poor — poorness, n. /poor/, adj., poorer, poorest, n. adj. 1. having little or no money, goods, or other means of support: a poor family living on welfare. 2. Law. dependent upon charity or public support. 3. (of a country, institution, etc.) meagerly… … Universalium
poor — W1S1 [po: US pur] adj comparative poorer superlative poorest ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(no money)¦ 2¦(not good)¦ 3¦(sympathy)¦ 4¦(not good at something)¦ 5¦(health)¦ 6 poor in something 7 a poor second/third etc … Dictionary of contemporary English
poor — adj. 1 lacking adequate money or means to live comfortably. 2 (foll. by in) deficient in (a possession or quality) (the poor in spirit). 3 a scanty, inadequate (a poor crop). b less good than is usual or expected (poor visibility; is a poor… … Useful english dictionary
poor´ness — poor «pur», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. having few things or nothing; lacking money or property; needy: »The children were so poor that they had no shoes. The poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb (II Samuel 12:3). 2. not good in quality;… … Useful english dictionary
poor as a church mouse — {adj. phr.}, {informal} Penniless; broke; extremely poor. * /The newly arrived boat people were poor as church mice./ … Dictionary of American idioms
poor as a church mouse — {adj. phr.}, {informal} Penniless; broke; extremely poor. * /The newly arrived boat people were poor as church mice./ … Dictionary of American idioms
poor-boy — ☆ poor boy1 [poor′boi′ ] n. HERO SANDWICH: in full poor boy sandwich poor boy2 [poor′boi΄] adj. made of a knit fabric with wide vertical ribbing in the body and sleeves: said as of a sweater * * * … Universalium
poor-boy — ☆ poor boy1 [poor′boi′ ] n. HERO SANDWICH: in full poor boy sandwich poor boy2 [poor′boi΄] adj. made of a knit fabric with wide vertical ribbing in the body and sleeves: said as of a sweater … English World dictionary