previous / next
poor ~ poor
[the same pronunciation]
“Poor” (adjective) means ‘not having enough money to live; (people or things) not having the desired (needed) quality’,
e.g.
My neighbours are very poor. They don’t enough money to buy enough food.
We cannot grow apples on this poor soil.
The poor need help from the rich. [i.e. all the poor people; ‘the rich’ = all the rich people]
____________________
“Poor” (adjective) means ‘not generous; not lucky; (of people, animals or things) deserving or needing sympathy or comfort because of misfortune, but not because of poverty (lack of money)’,
e.g.
The poor lady lost her husband at a young age. [i.e. she is unfortunate that her husband died when she was young, but not necessarily without money; she must have had a lot of money --- here the question is not poverty, but sympathy]
These poor dogs are neglected by their cruel masters.
[Therefore, it is to be noted that a ‘poor’ person, animal or thing is not necessarily without money!]
<<< Back to List P / Next poplar ~ popular >>>
<<< Back to main page


