Meaning
Short of money; unable to afford what you need or want at the moment. Informal, and usually about a temporary squeeze rather than lasting poverty. Normally used with 'for' followed by cash, money, or funds. Informal and slightly self-deprecating or sympathetic; suitable for everyday speech. Regional use: General English.
Origin
The slang adjective 'strapped', meaning short of money, is documented from 1857, originally without any 'for cash' tail; the fuller phrasing spread later. Etymonline derives it from an older slang sense of the noun 'strap' meaning financial credit, itself recorded from 1828, so that a strapped person is one who is out of credit. The sources do not spell out how the credit sense produced the adjective, and rival stories tying it to a barber's strop (to sharpen) or to pawning goods find no support in the major dictionaries. Collins labels the word informal or slang, and the compound 'cash-strapped' is now a common alternative.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- cash-strapped
- strapped
- strapped for funds
- strapped for money
Usage Examples
- We're a bit strapped for cash this month, so let's keep the celebration simple.
- Being strapped for cash in college, he repaired bicycles for grocery money.
- The charity was strapped for cash after the grant ended and postponed two projects.