undeserving poor
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
English[edit]
Noun[edit]
undeserving poor pl (plural only)
- (dated) Poor people who ought to be able to provide for themselves but are too lazy to do so, and thus seen as not worthy of charity.
- Antonym: deserving poor
Usage notes[edit]
Used with the definite article the.
References[edit]
- “undeserving poor”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
- “undeserving poor”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.