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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

POOR, a. [L. pauper.]
1. Wholly destitute of property, or not having property sufficient for a comfortable subsistence; needy. It is often synonymous with indigent, and with necessitous, denoting extreme want; it is also applied to persons who are not entirely destitute of property, but are not rich; as a poor man or woman; poor people
2. In law, so destitute of property as to be entitled to maintenance from the public.
3. Destitute of strength, beauty or dignity; barren; mean; jejune; as a poor composition; a poor essay; a poor discourse.
4. Destitute of value, worth or importance; of little use; trifling.
That I have wronged no man, will be a poor plea or apology at the last day.
5. Paltry; mean; of little value; as a poor coat; a poor house.
6. Destitute of fertility; barren; exhausted; as poor land. The ground is become poor.
7. Of little worth; unimportant; as in my poor opinion.
8. Unhappy; pitiable.
Vex'd sailors curse the rain
For which poor shepherds pray'd in vain.
9. Mean; depressed; low; dejected; destitute of spirit.
A soothsayer made Antonius believe that his genius,which was otherwise brave, was, in the presence of Octavianus, poor and cowardly.
10. Lean; emaciated; as a poor horse. The ox is poor.
11. Small, or of a bad quality; as a poor crop; a poor harvest.
12. Uncomfortable; restless; ill. The patient has had a poor night.
13. Destitute of saving grace. Revelation 3.
14. In general, wanting good qualities, or the qualities which render a thing valuable, excellent, proper, or sufficient for its purpose; as a poor pen; a poor ship; a poor carriage; poor fruit; poor bread; poor wine, etc.
15. A word of tenderness or pity; dear.
Poor, little, pretty, fluttering thing.
16. A word of slight contempt; wretched.
The poor monk never saw many of the decrees and councils he had occasion to use.
17. The poor, collectively, used as a noun; those who are destitute of property; the indigent; the needy; in a legal sense, those who depend on charity or maintenance by the public.
I have observed the more public provisions are made for the poor, the less they provide for themselves.
Poor in spirit, in a Scriptural sense, humble; contrite; abased in one's own sight by a sense of guilt. Matthew 5.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: deserving or inciting pity; "a hapless victim"; "miserable victims of war"; "the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic"- Galsworthy; "piteous appeals for help"; "pitiable homeless children"; "a pitiful fate"; "Oh, you poor thing"; "his poor distorted limbs"; "a wretched life" [syn: hapless, miserable, misfortunate, pathetic, piteous, pitiable, pitiful, poor, wretched]
2: having little money or few possessions; "deplored the gap between rich and poor countries"; "the proverbial poor artist living in a garret" [ant: rich]
3: characterized by or indicating poverty; "the country had a poor economy"; "they lived in the poor section of town" [ant: rich]
4: lacking in specific resources, qualities or substances; "a poor land"; "the area was poor in timber and coal"; "food poor in nutritive value" [ant: rich]
5: not sufficient to meet a need; "an inadequate income"; "a poor salary"; "money is short"; "on short rations"; "food is in short supply"; "short on experience" [syn: inadequate, poor, short]
6: unsatisfactory; "a poor light for reading"; "poor morale"; "expectations were poor" n
1: people without possessions or wealth (considered as a group); "the urban poor need assistance" [syn: poor people, poor] [ant: rich, rich people]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Middle English poure, from Anglo-French povre, pore, from Latin pauper; akin to Latin paucus little and to Latin parere to give birth to, produce — more at few, pare Date: 13th century 1. a. lacking material possessions b. of, relating to, or characterized by poverty 2. a. less than adequate ; meager b. small in worth 3. exciting pity <you poor thing> 4. a. inferior in quality or value b. humble, unpretentious c. mean, petty 5. lean, emaciated 6. barren, unproductive — used of land 7. indifferent, unfavorable 8. lacking a normal or adequate supply of something specified — often used in combination <oil-poor countries> • poorish adjective • poorness noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

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 driver; in poor health). c paltry; inferior (poor condition; came a poor third). 4 a deserving pity or sympathy; unfortunate (you poor thing). b with reference to a dead person (as my poor father used to say). 5 spiritless; despicable (is a poor creature). 6 often iron. or joc. humble; insignificant (in my poor opinion). Phrases and idioms: poor-box a collection-box, esp. in church, for the relief of the poor. poor law hist. a law relating to the support of paupers. poor man's an inferior or cheaper substitute for. poor man's weather-glass the pimpernel. poor-rate hist. a rate or assessment for relief or support of the poor. poor relation an inferior or subordinate member of a family or any other group. poor-spirited timid; cowardly. poor White offens. (esp. used by Blacks) a member of a socially inferior group of White people. take a poor view of regard with disfavour or pessimism. Etymology: ME & OF pov(e)re, poure f. L pauper

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Poor Poor, a. [Compar. Poorer (?; 254); superl. Poorest.] [OE. poure or povre, OF. povre, F. pauvre, L. pauper; the first syllable of which is probably akin to paucus few (see Paucity, Few), and the second to parare to prepare, procure. See Few, and cf. Parade, Pauper, Poverty.] 1. Destitute of property; wanting in material riches or goods; needy; indigent. Note: It is often synonymous with indigent and with necessitous denoting extreme want. It is also applied to persons who are not entirely destitute of property, but who are not rich; as, a poor man or woman; poor people. 2. (Law) So completely destitute of property as to be entitled to maintenance from the public. 3. Hence, in very various applications: Destitute of such qualities as are desirable, or might naturally be expected; as: (a) Wanting in fat, plumpness, or fleshiness; lean; emaciated; meager; as, a poor horse, ox, dog, etc. ``Seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed.'' --Gen. xli. 19. (b) Wanting in strength or vigor; feeble; dejected; as, poor health; poor spirits. ``His genius . . . poor and cowardly.'' --Bacon. (c) Of little value or worth; not good; inferior; shabby; mean; as, poor clothes; poor lodgings. ``A poor vessel.'' --Clarendon. (d) Destitute of fertility; exhausted; barren; sterile; -- said of land; as, poor soil. (e) Destitute of beauty, fitness, or merit; as, a poor discourse; a poor picture. (f) Without prosperous conditions or good results; unfavorable; unfortunate; unconformable; as, a poor business; the sick man had a poor night. (g) Inadequate; insufficient; insignificant; as, a poor excuse. That I have wronged no man will be a poor plea or apology at the last day. --Calamy. 4. Worthy of pity or sympathy; -- used also sometimes as a term of endearment, or as an expression of modesty, and sometimes as a word of contempt. And for mine own poor part, Look you, I'll go pray. --Shak. Poor, little, pretty, fluttering thing. --Prior. 5. Free from self-assertion; not proud or arrogant; meek. ``Blessed are the poor in spirit.'' --Matt. v. 3. Poor law, a law providing for, or regulating, the relief or support of the poor. Poor man's treacle (Bot.), garlic; -- so called because it was thought to be an antidote to animal poison. [Eng] --Dr. Prior. Poor man's weatherglass (Bot.), the red-flowered pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), which opens its blossoms only in fair weather. Poor rate, an assessment or tax, as in an English parish, for the relief or support of the poor. Poor soldier (Zo["o]l.), the friar bird. The poor, those who are destitute of property; the indigent; the needy. In a legal sense, those who depend on charity or maintenance by the public. ``I have observed the more public provisions are made for the poor, the less they provide for themselves.'' --Franklin.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Poor Poor, n. (Zo["o]l.) A small European codfish (Gadus minutus); -- called also power cod.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(poorer, poorest) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. Someone who is poor has very little money and few possessions. The reason our schools cannot afford better teachers is because people here are poor... He was one of thirteen children from a poor family. ? rich ADJ • The poor are people who are poor. Even the poor have their pride. N-PLURAL: the N 2. The people in a poor country or area have very little money and few possessions. Many countries in the Third World are as poor as they have ever been. ...a settlement house for children in a poor neighborhood. ? rich ADJ 3. You use poor to express your sympathy for someone. I feel sorry for that poor child... Poor chap–he was killed in an air crash... ADJ: ADJ n [feelings] 4. If you describe something as poor, you mean that it is of a low quality or standard or that it is in bad condition. The flat was in a poor state of repair... The wine was poor. ADJ • poorly Some are living in poorly built dormitories, even in tents... ADV: ADV -ed, ADV after v 5. If you describe an amount, rate, or number as poor, you mean that it is less than expected or less than is considered reasonable. ...poor wages and working conditions. ADJ • poorly During the first week, the evening meetings were poorly attended... = badly ADV: ADV -ed, ADV after v 6. You use poor to describe someone who is not very skilful in a particular activity. He was a poor actor... Hospitals are poor at collecting information. ADJ: usu ADJ n, also v-link ADJ at -ing/n • poorly That is the fact of Hungarian football–they can play very well or very poorly. ADV: ADV after v 7. If something is poor in a particular quality or substance, it contains very little of the quality or substance. ...soil that is poor in zinc. ADJ: v-link ADJ in n

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The Mosaic legislation regarding the poor is specially important. (1.) They had the right of gleaning the fields (Lev. 19:9, 10; Deut. 24:19,21).

(2.) In the sabbatical year they were to have their share of the produce of the fields and the vineyards (Ex. 23:11; Lev. 25:6).

(3.) In the year of jubilee they recovered their property (Lev. 25:25-30).

(4.) Usury was forbidden, and the pledged raiment was to be returned before the sun went down (Ex. 22:25-27; Deut. 24:10-13). The rich were to be generous to the poor (Deut. 15:7-11).

(5.) In the sabbatical and jubilee years the bond-servant was to go free (Deut. 15:12-15; Lev. 25:39-42, 47-54).

(6.) Certain portions from the tithes were assigned to the poor (Deut. 14:28, 29; 26:12, 13).

(7.) They shared in the feasts (Deut. 16:11, 14; Neh. 8:10).

(8.) Wages were to be paid at the close of each day (Lev. 19:13).

In the New Testament (Luke 3:11; 14:13; Acts 6:1; Gal. 2:10; James 2:15, 16) we have similar injunctions given with reference to the poor. Begging was not common under the Old Testament, while it was so in the New Testament times (Luke 16:20, 21, etc.). But begging in the case of those who are able to work is forbidden, and all such are enjoined to "work with their own hands" as a Christian duty (1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess. 3:7-13; Eph. 4:28). This word is used figuratively in Matt. 5:3; Luke 6:20; 2 Cor. 8:9; Rev. 3:17.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

poor ('ebhyon, dal, `ani, rush; ptochos):

I. In the Old Testament.

The poor have great prominence in the Bible; it is said, indeed, that there should be no poor among the Hebrews because Yahweh should so greatly bless them (De 15:4 the Revised Version (British and American) and the King James Version margin); but this was only to be realized on certain conditions of obedience (De 15:5), and in De 15:11 it is said,"The poor will never cease out of the land"; but they were to see to it that none was left in destitution. The very foundation of the Hebrew religion was God's pity on a poor and oppressed people.

1. The Terms Employed:

The words for "poor" are chiefly 'ebhyon, "desirous," "needy," "poor" (Ex 23:6, etc.); dal, "moving," "swaying," hence, weak, poor, lowly (Ex 23:3, etc.); dallah, "poverty," "weakness" (2Ki 25:12, etc.); rush, perhaps "to shake," "tremble," "to be poor," "impoverished" (1Sa 18:23, etc.); `ani, also `anaw, "poor," "oppressed," from `anah, "to bend" or "bow down (Ex 22:25, etc.); `aneh, Aramaic (Da 4:27), chelekhah, "wretchedness" (/Av Ps 10:8,14); yarash, "to make poor" (1Sa 2:7); machsor, "want" (Pr 21:17); micken, "a needy one" (Ec 4:13; 9:15 bis,16).

2. Representations:

(1) Generally.--God (Yahweh and 'Elohim) is represented as having a special care for "the poor," which was illustrated in the deliverance of the nation from Egyptian poverty and bondage and was never to be forgotten by them (De 24:22); as punishing the oppressors of the poor and rewarding those who were kind to them; God Himself was the Protector and Saviour of the poor (Ex 22:23): "If thou afflict them at all, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath shall wax hot," etc. (De 15:9; 24:15; 1Sa 2:8; Job 31:16; Ps 9:18; 12:5; Pr 19:17; Isa 25:4; Ec 5:8, "one higher than the high regardeth," etc.).

(2) Liberality to the poor is specially enjoined (De 15:7 f), and they were to beware of self-deception and grudging in this (De 15:9,10).

(3) Special provisions were made on behalf of the poor:

(a) Every third year a tithe was to be given "unto the Levite, to the sojourner, to the fatherless and to the widow" that Yahweh might bless them (De 14:28,29; 26:12 f);

(b) the poor were to have the free use of all that grew spontaneously in field or vineyard during the Sabbatic year (Ex 23:10 f; Le 25:5,6);

(c) each year the gleanings of the fields and vineyards should belong to the poor, the corners of fields were to be left for them, and if a sheaf was forgotten it should remain (Le 19:9,10; 23:22; De 24:19);

(d) fruit and ripe grain in a field might be eaten by any hungry person, but none should be carried away (De 23:24,25);

(e) in the Feast of Weeks the poor were to participate (De 16:9-12);

(f) every seventh year there should be a "release" of debts (De 15:1 f) ; in the seventh year of servitude the Hebrew bond-servant should go free (Ex 21:2), or in the Jubilee, if that came first, on which occasion--the fiftieth year--property that had been sold returned to its owner or his family (Le 25:8-17);

(g) they were to lend readily to the poor, and no interest or increase was to be taken from their brethren (Ex 22:25; Le 25:35-37; De 15:7 f); in Le 25:39, no poor Hebrew was to be made a bond-servant, and, if a hired servant, he was not to be ruled with rigor (25:43); his hire was to be given him daily (Le 19:13; De 24:15); no widow's raiment was to be taken in pledge (De 24:17), nor the handmill, nor the upper millstone so essential for daily life (De 24:6), a man's garment should be returned to him before sundown, and no house should be entered to seize or fetch any pledge (De 24:10-13); breach of these laws should be sin and their observance righteousness (De 24:13,15, etc.; see ALMS, ALMSGIVING);

(h) justice was to be done to the poor (Ex 23:6; De 27:19, "Cursed be he that wresteth the justice due to the sojourner, fatherless, and widow"); (i) offerings were graduated according to means (Le 5:7; 12:8).

(4) Definite penalties were not always attached to those laws, and the prophets and psalmists have many complaints of the unjust treatment and oppression of the poor, contrary to the will of God, and frequent exhortations to justice and a due regard for them (Ps 10:2,9; 12:5; 14:6; Isa 3:14,15; Jer 2:34; Eze 16:49, "the iniquity of .... Sodom"; Eze 18:12,17; 22:29; Am 2:7; 4:1; Hab 3:14; compare Job 20:19; 24:9,14, etc.; Pr 14:31).

(5) The duty of caring for the poor is frequently and strongly set forth and divine promises attached to its fulfillment (Ps 41:1; 72:12 ff; Pr 17:5; 22:9; 28:3,17; Isa 58:7; Jer 22:16; Eze 18:17; Da 4:27; Zec 7:10, etc.; compare Job 29:12,16; 30:25; 31:19; Ps 112:9).

(6) The day of the divine manifestation, the times of the Messiah, should bring deliverance and rejoicing to the poor (Ps 72:12-15; Isa 11:4, "With righteousness shall he judge the poor," etc.; Isa 14:30; 29:19; 61:1 the Revised Version margin).

(7) The equality of rich and poor before God and the superiority of the righteous poor to the ungodly rich, etc., are maintained (Pr 19:1,22; 22:1,2; Ec 4:13).

(8) Ways in which men can willfully make themselves poor are mentioned (Pr 6:11; 10:4; 12:24; 13:4,18; 14:23; 20:13; 21:5,17; 23:21; 28:19).

3. The Godly Poor:

The chief words given above all mean poor, literally, but `ani (rendered also "afflicted") may also denote Israel as a nation in its afflictions and low estate, e.g. Ps 68:10; Isa 41:17; 49:13; 51:21; 54:11; in Ze 3:12, it is "the ideal Israel of the future." Dr. Driver remarks (art. "Poor," HDB) that such passages show that `ani (as also its frequent parallel 'ebhyon, and, though somewhat less distinctly, dal) came gradually "to denote the godly poor, the suffering righteous, the persons who, whether `bowed down' or `needy' or `reduced,' were the godly servants of Yahweh." The humble poor became in fact distinguished as the line in which faithfulness to Yahweh was maintained and spiritual religion developed. The less frequent word `anaw, often translated "meek," "humble," is regarded (see Driver in the place cited.) as having from the first a moral and religious significance. It is used of Moses (Nu 12:3) and occurs in Ps 10:12,17; 22:26; 25:9, etc.; Pr 3:34; 16:19; Isa 29:19; 32:7; 61:1; Am 2:7; Ze 2:3.

II. In the New Testament.

In the New Testament ptochos, "trembling," "poor," "beggar," is almost exclusively the word translated "poor." It does not occur very frequently, but we see the same regard for the poor maintained as we have in the Old Testament; besides, the new principle of love and the example of Him who "though he was rich, yet for your sakes .... became poor" (ptocheuo, 2Co 8:9) necessarily carry in them this regard even more fully than in the Old Testament. Jesus announced His mission (Lu 4:18) by quoting Isa 61:1, "to preach good tidings (the King James Version "the gospel") to the poor" (or meek or humble); He gave as a proof of His Messiahship the fact that "the poor have the gospel (or good news of the Kingdom) preached to them" (Mt 11:5; Lu 7:22); according to Lu 6:20, He pronounced a beatitude on the pious "poor" because the kingdom of God was theirs; in Mt 5:3 it is "the poor in spirit" (the humble); we have the injunction to "give to the poor" (Mt 19:21; Mr 10:21; Lu 18:22) who are "always with you" (Mt 26:11; Mr 14:7; Joh 12:8), which does not mean that there must always be "the poor," but that, in contrast with Himself who was soon to leave them, the poor should remain and kindness could be shown to them at any time, which was His own practice (Joh 13:29); we are enjoined to call not the rich or well-to-do to our entertainments, but the poor (Lu 14:13; compare Lu 14:21); Zaccheus cited in his favor the fact that he gave `half of his goods to the poor' (Lu 19:8); special notice was taken by Jesus of the poor widow's contribution (Lu 21:3). The first church showed its regard for the poor in the distribution of goods "according as any man had need" (Ac 2:45; 4:32; 6:1); when the council at Jerusalem freed the Gentiles from the yoke of Judaism, they made it a condition, Paul says, "that we should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do" (Ga 2:10); contributions were accordingly made "for the poor among the saints that are at Jerus" (Ro 15:26), and it was in conveying such contributions that Paul got into the circumstances that led to his arrest. God's ability and will to provide for those who give to the poor is quoted from Ps 112:9 (2Co 9:9); James specially rebukes certain Christians of his day for their partiality for the rich and their dishonor of the poor (Jas 2:5-9), and John asks how, in the man who "hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him," the love of God can dwell (1 Joh 3:17,18).

Ptochos is translated "beggar" (Lu 16:20,22) and "beggarly" (Ga 4:9); penes, "one who works for his daily bread," "a poor man," is the word in 2Co 9:9; the poor widow of Mr 12:42 is described in Lu 21:2 as penichros, "very poor."

III. In the Apocrypha.

In the Apocrypha the poor are often mentioned; God's regard for them (Ecclesiasticus 21:5 (ptochos); 35:12,13); their oppression and wrongs (The Wisdom of Solomon 2:10 (penes); Ecclesiasticus 13:3,19,23 (ptochos); Baruch 6:28); the duty of care for and of giving to the poor (Tobit 4:7 (ptochos); Ecclesiasticus 29:8 (tapeinos); 29:9 (penes); 34:20-22); of justice and kindness to such (Ecclesiasticus 4:1,5,8; 7:32; 10:23 (ptochos)); "poor" in the sense of pitiable occurs in 2 Macc 4:47 (talaiporos), the Revised Version (British and American) "hapless."

IV. The Revised Version (British and American) Changes.

For "the poor of this world" (Jas 2:5) the Revised Version (British and American) has "them that are poor as to the world"; for "The poor .... shall trust in it" (Isa 14:32), "In her shall the afflicted .... take refuge"; instead of "Whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor" (Ec 4:14), "Yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor"; "poor" for "humble" (Ps 9:12; 10:12, margin "meek"), for "lowly" (Pr 16:19, margin "meek").

W. L. Walker

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. 1. Indigent, needy, necessitous, pinched, straitened. 2. Penniless, moneyless, impecunious, destitute, distressed, poverty-stricken, seedy, reduced, short of money, out of money, without a penny, out of pocket, out of cash, out at the elbows, out at the heels, in need, in want, hard up, in distress, living from hand to mouth, not worth a farthing, not worth a sou, not rich, badly off, poorly off. 3. Emaciated, lean, thin, meagre, lank, gaunt, skinny, shrunk, fallen away. 4. Barren, sterile, unfruitful, unfertile, unproductive, fruitless, unprolific. 5. Trifling, trivial, slight, small, slender, flimsy, insufficient, inadequate, worthless, unimportant, of little use or worth, valueless, paltry. 6. Unsound, infirm, feeble, delicate, weak, frail. 7. Shabby, seedy, worthless, valueless, inferior, not good. 8. Contemptible, despicable, paltry, mean, sorry, beggarly, pitiful, shabby, bad, low, inferior. 9. Feeble, languid, weak, bald, tame, jejune, vapid, cold, frigid, dull, prosing, prosy, prosaic, spiritless, barren, mean, meagre, dry. 10. Miserable, wretched, unfortunate, luckless, ill-fated, ill-starred, unlucky, unhappy, pitiable. 11. Meagre, insufficient, inadequate, scant, small. 12. Faulty, unsatisfactory. 13. Thin, scanty. 14. Weak, feeble, poor, flimsy. II. n. pl. [With The prefixed.] 1. The indigent, the needy. 2. Paupers.

Moby Thesaurus

DP, Lenten, Mickey Mouse, Spartan, abject, abominable, abstemious, against, amateurish, arrant, artless, ascetic, atrocious, attenuated, austere, awful, bad, badly off, bankrupt, bare-handed, barren, base, beggared, beggarly, below par, beneath contempt, broke, bumbling, cadaverous, cheap, cheeseparing, cheesy, chinchy, chintzy, chronic poor, chronic poverty area, coarse, common, con, contemptible, corpselike, crumbling, crummy, debased, decrepit, defective, deficient, degraded, depleted, depraved, depressed class, depressed population, despicable, destitute, destitution, dirty, disappointed, disapprobatory, disapproving, discontented, disenchanted, disgruntled, disgusting, disillusioned, disintegrating, displeased, dissatisfied, dissenting, distressed, down to bedrock, down-and-out, dwarfed, dwarfish, emacerated, emaciate, emaciated, embarrassed, empty-handed, execrable, exhausted, exiguous, famished, faulty, feeble, feeling the pinch, flagrant, flat, flat broke, flawed, flimsy, fortuneless, foul, fourth-class, frugal, fruitless, fulsome, gaudy, ghetto-dwellers, gimcracky, grave, gross, haggard, half-assed, half-starved, hapless, hard up, heinous, hollow-eyed, homely, humble, humble-looking, humble-visaged, humblest, ill, ill off, ill-equipped, ill-fated, ill-furnished, ill-provided, ill-starred, impecunious, impecuniousness, impoverished, impoverishment, in Queer Street, in narrow circumstances, in need, in rags, in reduced circumstances, in straitened circumstances, in want, inadept, inadequate, inapt, inattentive, inconclusive, inconsequential, indigence, indigent, indignant, inefficient, inept, inexpert, inferior, infertile, infirm, infrequent, inglorious, innocuous, insignificant, insolvent, insubstantial, insufficient, irregular, jejune, land-poor, lean, least, limited, little, lousy, low, low-class, low-down, low-grade, low-quality, low-test, lowest, lowliest, lowly, luckless, lumpen, mangy, marantic, marasmic, meager, mean, measly, mediocre, meretricious, miserable, miserly, modest, moneyless, monstrous, narrow, necessitous, neediness, needy, nefarious, niggardly, obnoxious, odious, on short commons, on the edge, opposed, opposing, out of pocket, outcasts, paltry, parsimonious, pathetic, pauperism, pauperized, peaked, peaky, pedestrian, penniless, penurious, penury, petty, piddling, pinched, pitiable, pitiful, plain, poky, poorish, poorly off, poorness, poverty subculture, poverty-stricken, privation, punk, puny, rank, rare, reduced, reptilian, rotten, rotten at, rubbishy, ruined, sad, scabby, scant, scanty, scarce, scattered, scrawny, scrimp, scrimping, scrimpy, scrubby, scruffy, scummy, scurvy, scuzzy, second-best, second-class, second-rate, seedy, seldom met with, seldom seen, shabby, shoddy, short, short of cash, short of funds, short of money, shorthanded, shriveled, simple, skeletal, skill-less, skimp, skimping, skimpy, slender, slight, slim, slipshod, slum-dwellers, small, sorry, spare, sparing, sparse, spotty, sprinkled, squalid, squeezed, star-crossed, starvation, starved, starveling, starving, sterile, stingy, stinted, stone-broke, stony, straitened, strapped, stunted, subsistence, substandard, tabetic, tabid, tacky, teachable, the disadvantaged, the dispossessed, the distressed, the down-and-out, the forgotten man, the have-nots, the needy, the other America, the poor, the powerless, the underprivileged, the urban poor, thin, third-class, third-rate, thoughtless, tight, tinny, trashy, trifling, trivial, trumpery, turned-off, two-for-a-cent, two-for-a-penny, twopenny, twopenny-halfpenny, unacceptable, unappreciative, unapproving, unapt, uncomplimentary, undeft, under par, underdeveloped nation, underfed, undermanned, undernourished, underprivileged, undexterous, undextrous, undistinguished, unfacile, unfavorable, unfed, unfirm, unfortunate, unfruitful, unhappy, unimportant, unintelligent, unlucky, unmentionable, unmoneyed, unnourishing, unnutritious, unpretentious, unproductive, unprofessional, unproficient, unprosperous, unproved, unprovided, unreplenished, unrigorous, unsatisfactory, unskillful, unsolid, unsound, unstable, unsturdy, unsubstantial, unsupplied, unsustained, valueless, vile, want, wasted, watered, watery, weak, weazeny, welfare rolls, wiped out, withered, wizened, worthless, wraithlike, wretched