on the breadline
English
editPrepositional phrase
edit- (idiomatic) In a situation of extreme poverty; relying on food donations or having only enough to survive.
- 1969, New Zealand. Parliament. House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates[1], page 4044:
- 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.
- 1993, Valerie Møller, Quality of Life in Unemployment: A Survey Evaluation of Black Township Dwellers, Pretoria: HSRC Publishers, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 70, →ISBN:
- 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.
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