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Keep the Wolf from the Door

To avoid circumstances leading to poverty and starvation

Etymology:

  • The wolves are considered extremely voracious and hunting animals. Any big and wild wolf can frighten people very badly. So something that is bad and scary can be related with wolves such as poverty, hunger and starvation. In 16th century, people used to say if someone was suffering or could hardly get by, he was ‘keeping the wolf from the door’.
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Today the ever increase in price hike is just not keeping the wolf from the door for many people.

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Submitted on February 25, 2019

Additional definitions for 'Keep the Wolf from the Door':

keep the wolf from the doorTo delay sexual ejaculation.
keep the wolf from the doorTo ward off poverty or hunger.
See them all »

Translation

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أبعد الذئب عن الباب

бороться с нищетой

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to Keep the Wolf from the Door

Keep Up With the Joneseskeep the pot boilingkeep someone on icekeep upkeep timekeep the ball rollingkeep tokeep up withkeep someone postedkeep tabs onkeep someone in the loopkeep the home fires burningkeep up with the joneseskeep the change

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    "Keep the Wolf from the Door." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/keep-the-wolf-from-the-door_44800>.

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