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Definition of hand to mouth in English:

hand to mouth

adverb

  • In a way that satisfies only one's immediate needs, because of lack of money with which to make provision for the future.

    • ‘they have been living from hand to mouth for three years now’

adjective

  • Satisfying only one's immediate needs, because of lack of money with which to make provision for the future.

    • ‘a hand-to-mouth existence’