Meaning of on the breadline | Babel Free

Definitions

In a situation of extreme poverty; relying on food donations or having only enough to survive.

idiomatic

Equivalents

Examples

“She wasn't on the breadline exactly, but she didn't have an awful lot of spare cash to throw around, and she always, always lived within her means.”

“This life continuously trapped on the breadline was not what I wanted, not forever.”

“He was wearing a grubby white shirt, jeans and scuffed black slip-on shoes. Anyone would think he was on the breadline too.”

“With capital of about £16,000 I wasn't exactly on the breadline.”

“There were times where money was tight and we probably were on the breadline, but I still never really wanted for anything.”

“Britain survived on the breadline.”

“It is ridiculous to put our own people on the breadline by reducing their spending power by an enormous sum to save very much less in overseas funds.”

“The alternative argument states that, for people living on the breadline where every penny counts, the loss of a job may be the last straw factor.”

CEFR level