General
poor as a church mouse
What does poor as a church mouse mean?
Having very little money; church mice have no pantry to raid.
"Back then we were poor as a church mouse."
Origin
Old English-language simile; a mouse in a church finds no food, hence utter poverty.
Frequently asked questions
What does "poor as a church mouse" mean?
It means extremely poor, with almost nothing to your name.
Why a church mouse?
A church has no kitchen or pantry, so a mouse living there finds no food—making it the image of utter poverty.
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