Meaning of land poor | Babel Free

Definitions

In a condition of poverty as a result of inability to meet tax payments or other financial requirements for one's land holdings.

US, idiomatic

Examples

“"I was offered a thousand acres, the other day, at twenty-five cents an acre," remarked the doctor. "The owner is so land-poor that he can't pay⟳ the taxes."”

“[A]ll the rest⟳ of the surrounding land⟳ was owned by a Frenchman. . . . He was a land-miser. With no business capacity, old and opinionated, he was land⟳ poor, and it was an open⟳ question⟳ which would arrive⟳ first, his death or bankruptcy.”

“Altho' most of the planters were "land⟳ poor" and burdened by the heavy taxes of "Reconstruction," and altho' many Negroes, having abandoned hope⟳ of "forty acres and a mule" from the Federal Government, were now ready to buy⟳ ten acres and an ox, the sale of land⟳ to Negroes was generally reprobated.”

“Most ranchers are land⟳ poor—lots of land⟳, but not much money.”

CEFR level