thrifty

Adjective

thrifty (comparative thriftier, superlative thriftiest)

1. Showing thrift; economical; frugal.
   • That was a certain trade, while th' age was thrifty, / And men good husbands, look'd into their stocks, / Had their minds bounded; now the public riot / Prostitutes all, scatters away in coaches, / In footmens coats, and waiting womens gownsc. 1625, Ben Jonson, “The Staple of News”, in Peter Whalley, editor, The Works of Ben Johnson, volume IV, London, published 1756, act III, scene iv, page 201
   • Nor less disastrous, should his thrifty urn / Neglected leave the once well-water'd land, / To dreary wastes yon paradise would turn, / Polluted ooze, or heaps of barren sand.1754, William Whitehead, “Elegies: Elegy I”, in Robert Dodsley, editor, A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes by Several Hands, London: J. Hughs, published 1765, page 54

   Synonyms:

   abstemious, canny, chary, moderate, cheap, close with a buck, economic, economical, frugal, provident

   Antonyms:

   spendthrift

2. (dated) Thriving, prosperous, successful; (of an animal or plant) growing rapidly or vigorously.
   • The life of religion is this water of life; where that runs, where that is received, and where things are done in this spirit, there all things are well: The church thrifty, the soul thrifty, graces thrifty, and all is well.a. 1688, John Bunyan, “The Water of Life”, in The Whole Works of that Eminent Servant of CHRIST, the late Reverend and much Esteemed Mr. John Bunyan […], volume II, London, published 1784, page 1193
   • the lands on this road are of an excellent quality, and in many places light timbered, in others covered with thrifty oak, black walnut, sugar maple, beach and linden.1794 November 20, “A letter from an anonymous 'gentleman'”, in The Commercial and Agricultural Magazine, for 1799, volume I […], London: Vaughan Grifiths, Paternoster-Row., published 1799, Economy of...
3. (obsolete) Preserved by thrift; carefully managed.
   • They han great stores, and thriftye flockes, / great freendes and feeble foes1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Iulye. Ægloga Septima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 42, recto
   • But do not ſo: I haue fiue hundred Crownes,
     The thriftie hire I ſaued vnder your Father,
     Which I did ſtore to be my foſter Nurſec. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...