Shoestrings are long, narrow pieces of material like pieces of string that you use to fasten your shoes.
[US]regional note: in BRIT, use shoelaces
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A shoestring budget is one where you have very little money to spend.
The British-produced film was made on a shoestring budget.
3.
See on a shoestring
shoestring in British English
(ˈʃuːˌstrɪŋ)
noun
1. another word for shoelace
2. informal
a.
a very small or petty amount of money (esp in the phrase on a shoestring)
b.
(as modifier)
a shoestring budget
shoestring in American English
(ʃuˌstrɪŋ)
noun
1.
shoelace
2. US
a small or barely adequate amount of capital
a business started on a shoestring
adjective
3.
like a shoestring; long and narrow
4. US
of, operating on, or characterized by a small amount of money
a shoestring budget
5. US
at, near, or around the ankles
a shoestring catch, a shoestring tackle
More idioms containing
shoestring
on a shoestring
Examples of 'shoestring' in a sentence
shoestring
We had to figure out web content technology on the shoestring budget of a nonprofit.
Christianity Today (2000)
No one predicted how successful the series would become and early stories were shot on shoestring budgets.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He has wrought huge changes on a relative shoestring.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
For years it campaigned on a shoestring.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Our shoestring budgets are shrinking further.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Working with a shoestring budget, he has built a side that puts the emphasis on teamwork.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
On their shoestring budget, how have they done it?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Dr No was shot on a shoestring budget and many thought it would be a flop.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In addition, new companies are being launched on a relative shoestring.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He won three trophies in three years on a shoestring at Valencia.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Both brothers have lived on a shoestring for years and doubt they'd change much if they had more money.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Repair He has already proved he can get results on a shoestring budget at Blackburn.
The Sun (2008)
We've managed to do an awful lot on a shoestring budget, and that will always be the case.
The Sun (2014)
He is promising to build'a revolution' on a shoestring budget and has refused to take money from billionaire backers.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The government has run GP services on a shoestring for years now and it's inevitable that the shoestring will fray and snap.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
shoestring
British English: shoestring ADJECTIVE
A shoestring budget is one where you have very little money to spend.
The movie was made on a shoestring budget.
American English: shoestring
Brazilian Portuguese: apertado
Chinese: > 小额的预算
European Spanish: ajustado
French: restreint
German: minimal
Italian: ridottissimo
Japanese: ごくわずかな
Korean: 위태위태한
European Portuguese: apertado
Latin American Spanish: ajustado
All related terms of 'shoestring'
shoestring budget
→ on a shoestring budget
on a shoestring
If you do something or make something on a shoestring , you do it using very little money .
shoestring potatoes
potatoes cut into long, very narrow strips and fried crisp in deep fat
on a shoestring budget
with very little money to spend
oak-root rot
a disease of oaks and other trees and woody plants, caused by the fungus Amillariella mellea ( oak-root fungus ), the fruiting body of which is the honey mushroom , and characterized by rotting roots, girdling of crown , and eventual death of the tree