What are idioms that are antonymous to “don't skimp on”?












1















The idiom "don't skimp on" means don't be shy and put as much as necessary. I am now wondering if there are idioms that mean the opposite of that. I am sure there are many, but it's hard to look for idioms since you can't look them up on a dictionary unless you know them.



For example:




Please, don't skimp on the butter. It's good stuff!











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  • You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?

    – Lambie
    5 hours ago
















1















The idiom "don't skimp on" means don't be shy and put as much as necessary. I am now wondering if there are idioms that mean the opposite of that. I am sure there are many, but it's hard to look for idioms since you can't look them up on a dictionary unless you know them.



For example:




Please, don't skimp on the butter. It's good stuff!











share|improve this question







New contributor




woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





















  • You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?

    – Lambie
    5 hours ago














1












1








1


1






The idiom "don't skimp on" means don't be shy and put as much as necessary. I am now wondering if there are idioms that mean the opposite of that. I am sure there are many, but it's hard to look for idioms since you can't look them up on a dictionary unless you know them.



For example:




Please, don't skimp on the butter. It's good stuff!











share|improve this question







New contributor




woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












The idiom "don't skimp on" means don't be shy and put as much as necessary. I am now wondering if there are idioms that mean the opposite of that. I am sure there are many, but it's hard to look for idioms since you can't look them up on a dictionary unless you know them.



For example:




Please, don't skimp on the butter. It's good stuff!








idiom-request






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woken is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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share|improve this question







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asked 6 hours ago









wokenwoken

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  • You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?

    – Lambie
    5 hours ago



















  • You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?

    – Lambie
    5 hours ago

















You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?

– Lambie
5 hours ago





You want the opposite of "give me lots of x", right?

– Lambie
5 hours ago










3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes


















2














We are unlikely to use the antonym in the imperative form. We don't tell people to "use less than is needed".



There are plenty of ways to describe someone using less of something




He was scrimping (and saving)

He was being frugal

He was stingy

He was mean with the butter

He was being careful with the butter.




These have a different nuance. Being "frugal" and "careful" are generally positive. Being mean or stingy are negative.






share|improve this answer


























  • You're right...

    – James K
    5 hours ago



















1














You could say:
"Go easy on the ..."



"Light on the ..."



"Don't over-do it on ..."



"Be sparing with ..."



"Don't get carried away with the ..."



"Take it easy with the ..."



"Be judicious with ..."



"Use a light touch with the ..."



or even the simple, "Not too much ..."






share|improve this answer
























  • Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.

    – Lambie
    5 hours ago













  • Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.

    – Lorel C.
    5 hours ago



















0














Please give me [just adjectives]
- just a little butter.

- a tad of butter.

- just a dab of butter.
- just a teeny bit of butter.



Actual idioms:

Please go light on the butter. To go light on butter or cream or sugar. Anything you add to food or drink.



Please don't overdo it on the butter. [not too much, same as above]



Please hold off on the butter. [not any]






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    3 Answers
    3






    active

    oldest

    votes








    3 Answers
    3






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    2














    We are unlikely to use the antonym in the imperative form. We don't tell people to "use less than is needed".



    There are plenty of ways to describe someone using less of something




    He was scrimping (and saving)

    He was being frugal

    He was stingy

    He was mean with the butter

    He was being careful with the butter.




    These have a different nuance. Being "frugal" and "careful" are generally positive. Being mean or stingy are negative.






    share|improve this answer


























    • You're right...

      – James K
      5 hours ago
















    2














    We are unlikely to use the antonym in the imperative form. We don't tell people to "use less than is needed".



    There are plenty of ways to describe someone using less of something




    He was scrimping (and saving)

    He was being frugal

    He was stingy

    He was mean with the butter

    He was being careful with the butter.




    These have a different nuance. Being "frugal" and "careful" are generally positive. Being mean or stingy are negative.






    share|improve this answer


























    • You're right...

      – James K
      5 hours ago














    2












    2








    2







    We are unlikely to use the antonym in the imperative form. We don't tell people to "use less than is needed".



    There are plenty of ways to describe someone using less of something




    He was scrimping (and saving)

    He was being frugal

    He was stingy

    He was mean with the butter

    He was being careful with the butter.




    These have a different nuance. Being "frugal" and "careful" are generally positive. Being mean or stingy are negative.






    share|improve this answer















    We are unlikely to use the antonym in the imperative form. We don't tell people to "use less than is needed".



    There are plenty of ways to describe someone using less of something




    He was scrimping (and saving)

    He was being frugal

    He was stingy

    He was mean with the butter

    He was being careful with the butter.




    These have a different nuance. Being "frugal" and "careful" are generally positive. Being mean or stingy are negative.







    share|improve this answer














    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited 5 hours ago

























    answered 6 hours ago









    James KJames K

    38.2k13997




    38.2k13997













    • You're right...

      – James K
      5 hours ago



















    • You're right...

      – James K
      5 hours ago

















    You're right...

    – James K
    5 hours ago





    You're right...

    – James K
    5 hours ago













    1














    You could say:
    "Go easy on the ..."



    "Light on the ..."



    "Don't over-do it on ..."



    "Be sparing with ..."



    "Don't get carried away with the ..."



    "Take it easy with the ..."



    "Be judicious with ..."



    "Use a light touch with the ..."



    or even the simple, "Not too much ..."






    share|improve this answer
























    • Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.

      – Lambie
      5 hours ago













    • Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.

      – Lorel C.
      5 hours ago
















    1














    You could say:
    "Go easy on the ..."



    "Light on the ..."



    "Don't over-do it on ..."



    "Be sparing with ..."



    "Don't get carried away with the ..."



    "Take it easy with the ..."



    "Be judicious with ..."



    "Use a light touch with the ..."



    or even the simple, "Not too much ..."






    share|improve this answer
























    • Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.

      – Lambie
      5 hours ago













    • Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.

      – Lorel C.
      5 hours ago














    1












    1








    1







    You could say:
    "Go easy on the ..."



    "Light on the ..."



    "Don't over-do it on ..."



    "Be sparing with ..."



    "Don't get carried away with the ..."



    "Take it easy with the ..."



    "Be judicious with ..."



    "Use a light touch with the ..."



    or even the simple, "Not too much ..."






    share|improve this answer













    You could say:
    "Go easy on the ..."



    "Light on the ..."



    "Don't over-do it on ..."



    "Be sparing with ..."



    "Don't get carried away with the ..."



    "Take it easy with the ..."



    "Be judicious with ..."



    "Use a light touch with the ..."



    or even the simple, "Not too much ..."







    share|improve this answer












    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer










    answered 5 hours ago









    Lorel C.Lorel C.

    3,54149




    3,54149













    • Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.

      – Lambie
      5 hours ago













    • Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.

      – Lorel C.
      5 hours ago



















    • Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.

      – Lambie
      5 hours ago













    • Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.

      – Lorel C.
      5 hours ago

















    Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.

    – Lambie
    5 hours ago







    Those are all fine, except judicious which calls for all sorts of caveats, Like whether you know a person well and they have good vocabulary. etc. "over do it" doesn't need a hyphen.

    – Lambie
    5 hours ago















    Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.

    – Lorel C.
    5 hours ago





    Well, it's an idiom. Where I come from we all know that "judicious" in that context means we don't want very much of it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her friends may disagree.

    – Lorel C.
    5 hours ago











    0














    Please give me [just adjectives]
    - just a little butter.

    - a tad of butter.

    - just a dab of butter.
    - just a teeny bit of butter.



    Actual idioms:

    Please go light on the butter. To go light on butter or cream or sugar. Anything you add to food or drink.



    Please don't overdo it on the butter. [not too much, same as above]



    Please hold off on the butter. [not any]






    share|improve this answer




























      0














      Please give me [just adjectives]
      - just a little butter.

      - a tad of butter.

      - just a dab of butter.
      - just a teeny bit of butter.



      Actual idioms:

      Please go light on the butter. To go light on butter or cream or sugar. Anything you add to food or drink.



      Please don't overdo it on the butter. [not too much, same as above]



      Please hold off on the butter. [not any]






      share|improve this answer


























        0












        0








        0







        Please give me [just adjectives]
        - just a little butter.

        - a tad of butter.

        - just a dab of butter.
        - just a teeny bit of butter.



        Actual idioms:

        Please go light on the butter. To go light on butter or cream or sugar. Anything you add to food or drink.



        Please don't overdo it on the butter. [not too much, same as above]



        Please hold off on the butter. [not any]






        share|improve this answer













        Please give me [just adjectives]
        - just a little butter.

        - a tad of butter.

        - just a dab of butter.
        - just a teeny bit of butter.



        Actual idioms:

        Please go light on the butter. To go light on butter or cream or sugar. Anything you add to food or drink.



        Please don't overdo it on the butter. [not too much, same as above]



        Please hold off on the butter. [not any]







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 5 hours ago









        LambieLambie

        16.2k1436




        16.2k1436






















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