Poor as a Church MousePoor as a Church Mouse : PhrasesMeaning: Extremely poor; impoverished; insolvent; poor but proud. Example: The owner, he said, was once poor as a churchmouse. Origin: This 17th century expression is most likely derived from a tale which recounts the plight of a mouse that attempted to find food in a Church. Since most Churches of that time did not have kitchens, the proud mouse found it difficult to survive since its pickings were slim at best. Phrases Index | ||
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