Pe*nu"ri*ous (?), a. [From Penury.] 1. Excessively sparing in the use of money; sordid; stingy; miserly. "A penurious niggard of his wealth." Milton.

2. Not bountiful or liberal; scanty.

Here creeps along a poor, penurious stream.

3. Destitute of money; suffering extreme want. [Obs.] "My penurious band." Shak.

Syn. -- Avaricious; covetous; parsimonious; miserly; niggardly; stingy. See Avaricious.

--Pe*nu"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Pe*nu"ri*ous*ness, n.

• miserly; excessively cheap
        The old man died a penurious wretch; eighty-thousand dollars in the mattress and as many holes in the roof.
  
• not bountiful; thin; scant
        The penurious stew would have been more accurately labelled broth.
  
• impoverished; wanting for money
        The poor penurious horde, naught in the cooking pot and naught in the belly.