to be frugal or miserly towards (someone) with (something) to stop or check (something)
an allotted or fixed amount of work a limitation or check a pause or stoppage
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
stint1 /stɪnt/USA pronunciation
v.
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to get along on a small amount:[no object (~ + on + object)]Don't stint on the food.
- to limit (someone) to a certain amount, number, etc.:[~ + object]to stint oneself.
n. [countable]
- a period of time spent doing something:a stint in the army.
stint1
(stint),USA pronunciation v.i.
v.t.
n.
stint′ed•ly, adv.
stint′ed•ness, n.
stint′er, n.
stint′ing•ly, adv.
stint′less, adj.
stint2 (stint),USA pronunciation n.
- to be frugal;
get along on a scanty allowance:Don't stint on the food. They stinted for years in order to save money. - [Archaic.]to cease action;
desist.
v.t.
- to limit to a certain amount, number, share, or allowance, often unduly;
set limits to;
restrict. - [Archaic.]to bring to an end;
check.
n.
- a period of time spent doing something:a two-year stint in the army.
- an allotted amount or piece of work:to do one's daily stint.
- limitation or restriction, esp. as to amount:to give without stint.
- a limited, prescribed, or expected quantity, share, rate, etc.:to exceed one's stint.
- [Obs.]a pause;
halt.
- 1150–1200; (verb, verbal) Middle English stinten, Old English styntan to make blunt, dull; (noun, nominal) Middle English, derivative of the verb, verbal; cognate with Old Norse stytta to shorten; compare stunt1
stint′ed•ness, n.
stint′er, n.
stint′ing•ly, adv.
stint′less, adj.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged confine, restrain.
- 7.See corresponding entry in Unabridged restraint, constraint.
- 8.See corresponding entry in Unabridged allotment, portion.
stint2 (stint),USA pronunciation n.
- Birdsany of various small sandpipers of the genus Calidris, as the least sandpiper.
- ?
- late Middle English stynte 1425–75
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
any of various small sandpipers of the chiefly northern genus Calidris (or Erolia), such as C. minuta (little stint)
'stint on' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):