make ends meet
To have enough money to cover expensesTo have enough money to cover expenses; to get by financially; to get through the pay period (sufficient to meet the next payday).
» I'm struggling to make ends meet.
Мені складно зводити кінці з кінцями.
Meaning
1 senses(idiomatic)To have enough money to cover expenses; to get by financially; to get through the pay period (sufficient to meet the next payday).
über die Runden kommen, über den Monat kommen
своди́ть концы с концамиsvodítʹ koncy s koncami
Examples
145 sentencesI'm struggling to make ends meet.
Мені складно зводити кінці з кінцями. — deniko
I hope I can manage to make both ends meet.
Сподіваюся, що в мене вийде звести кінці з кінцями. — Ahha
ruНадеюсь, что я сумею свести концы с концами. — sqrrl
They could barely make ends meet.
ruОни едва сводили концы с концами. — Wezel
deSie kamen gerade so über die Runden. — Hans_Adler
I can't make ends meet now.
ruВ настоящее время я не могу свести концы с концами. — Ivanovb
It's tough to make ends meet.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Unknown. Perhaps originally referred to the ends of rope meeting, signifying continuity anUnknown. Perhaps originally referred to the ends of rope meeting, signifying continuity and therefore security and stability. Perhaps shifting later to refer to the attempt at making money last from one pay period to the next (i.e. the ends), thereby leaving no gap or break in the availability of funds. Compare French joindre les deux bouts (literally “join the two ends”) with the same meaning. The form make both ends meet is attested from the 17th century, and was the more common form until the early-to-mid 20th century.
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Forms
makes ends meet, making ends meet, made ends meet, made ends meet| Base form | make ends meet · to make ends meet |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | makes ends meet |
| Present participle | making ends meet |
| Past simple | made ends meet |
| Past participle | made ends meet |
irregular · Lesson
Lessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle