Make Your Point > Archived Issues > CLOSEFISTED
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pronounce
CLOSEFISTED:
Say it "cloze FISS tid."
To hear it, click here.
I say it that way, with a hard "z" sound in "close," because I imagine someone closing his fist. That is, I think of the "close" in "closefisted" as if it's a verb. And in fact, that's how we came up with the word "closefisted:" it describes people whose fists seem to be tightly closed.
But if you prefer, you can say "close FISS tid," with a soft "s" sound in "close," if you imagine someone with her fist held "close" to her, not extending it outward in generosity--that is, if you think of the "close" in "closefisted" as if it's an adjective. (It's not, but it doesn't matter; the image is just as appropriate.)
connect this word to others:
If you're generous, like Ebenezer Scrooge at the end of the story, you give everything you can to help the needy. You're op_nh_nd_d. You're b_n_v_l_nt. You're m_gn_n_m__s, or big-hearted.
And if, like Scrooge at the start of the story, you think the needy should just go ahead and die, then, gracious me: you're miserly. You're a sk_nfl_nt, a penny-pincher. You're tightfisted, hardfisted, or closefisted.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
Literally speaking, someone holding their hand tightly closed, in a fist, is closefisted.
And figuratively speaking, closefisted people seem to close their fists around whatever they have, like money or food, and not offer to share it with anyone else. To be closefisted is to be stingy, not giving, not generous.
This word is old: it's been in English print since 1608. Which makes sense, because it describes a gesture that's timeless.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech: adjective: "she's a closefisted meanie," "his whole attitude is closefisted."
Other forms:
If you prefer, you can use a hyphen: "close-fisted."
A person who's closefisted can be called a "close-fist."
And the quality of being closefisted is "closefistedness."
how to use it:
This word is easy to understand. And it's rare, even rarer than "tightfisted," so it's perfect for calling attention to just how greedy and/or selfish someone is. It conveys the image of someone clutching onto what they have, rather than handing it to someone else.
And, it's more clear than the word "hardfisted," which sometimes means "stingy, unsharing" but other times means "tough, aggressive."
And, it's a great alternative in situations when it would seem just a touch too rude to say "tightwad."
Talk about closefisted people and personalities, closefisted mindsets and perspectives, closefisted attitudes and policies, a closefisted hardness or stubbornness, etc.
examples:
"Why would Donald Trump of all people, a notoriously close-fisted billionaire who has said not paying taxes 'makes me smart,' leave himself vulnerable to the biggest tax of all?"
— Chase Peterson-Withorn, Forbes, 9 August 2019
"Being cheap and being frugal are not one and the same. Cheapskates are close-fisted. Cost is their bottom line, and they prioritize their penny-pinching spending habits over quality, value, and time. They'll invite you over for dinner and then Venmo you for your share of the groceries, calculated to the penny."
— Megan McDonough, Vox, 9 August 2019
has this page helped you understand "closefisted"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "closefisted" without saying "miserly" or "parsimonious."
try it out:
Think of a real person or a fictional character who seems almost cartoonishly selfish and uncharitable. Fill in the blanks: "(Someone) fits the cliche of the closefisted (type of person)."
Example 1: "Cruella De Vil fits the cliche of the closefisted villainess."
Example 2: "Vladimir Putin... at times appears consciously to play to the cliche of the close-fisted, calculating KGB man."
— Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg, 29 July 2019
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is Lightning Rhyming Recall!
In each issue this month, see how fast you can recall three words. They’re unrelated in meaning--probably--but they rhyme. To check your answers, scroll to the bottom of the issue. We’ll start out easy and ramp up the difficulty as the month goes on. Enjoy!
Each word below rhymes with AVOCADO:
A. (3 syllables, noun) A showy, threatening display of courage is...
B. (4 syllables, noun) A city of gold, or an easy path to wealth, is an...
C. (usually 6 syllables, noun) A formal word for "fan," with roots in Spanish bullfighting, is...
review this word:
But a near opposite of CLOSEFISTED is
A. GIVING.
B. LOVING.
C. HELPFUL.
2. If there are such things as karma and reincarnation, perhaps the closefisted in this life come back in the next as _____.
A. pampered miniature dogs, carted around in purses
B. waste pickers, those who eke out a hard life of dire need
C. trust fund babies, never learning the joy and meaning of hard work
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
If you're generous, like Ebenezer Scrooge at the end of the story, you give everything you can to help the needy. You're op_nh_nd_d. You're b_n_v_l_nt. You're m_gn_n_m__s, or big-hearted. Literally speaking, someone holding their hand tightly closed, in a fist, is closefisted.
Part of speech: adjective: "she's a closefisted meanie," "his whole attitude is closefisted."
This word is easy to understand. And it's rare, even rarer than "tightfisted," so it's perfect for calling attention to just how greedy and/or selfish someone is. It conveys the image of someone clutching onto what they have, rather than handing it to someone else.
"Why would Donald Trump of all people, a notoriously close-fisted billionaire who has said not paying taxes 'makes me smart,' leave himself vulnerable to the biggest tax of all?"
Explain the meaning of "closefisted" without saying "miserly" or "parsimonious."
Think of a real person or a fictional character who seems almost cartoonishly selfish and uncharitable. Fill in the blanks: "(Someone) fits the cliche of the closefisted (type of person)."
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
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