Pronunciation: [lˈa͡ɪv hˈand tə mˈa͡ʊθ] (IPA) 
The phrase "live hand to mouth" is an idiom that means to live paycheck to paycheck or to barely survive. The spelling of this phrase can be broken down phonetically using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /lɪv hænd tu maʊθ/. The stress falls on the first syllable of both "live" and "hand" and the last syllable of "mouth". The "th" in "mouth" is pronounced as a voiceless dental fricative.
The phrase "live hand to mouth" is an idiom that describes a financial condition where an individual's income is barely sufficient to meet their immediate and basic needs, leaving no room for savings or future planning. When someone is living hand to mouth, they have no surplus money to invest or save, and they must rely solely on their current earnings to sustain themselves. This phrase suggests a lack of financial stability and an ongoing struggle to make ends meet.
The origin of this idiom can be traced back to the imagery of taking food directly from the hand to the mouth, indicating the immediate consumption of resources without any provision for the future. The hand represents the source of income or livelihood, while the mouth symbolizes the act of using that income without any consideration for long-term financial security.
Living hand to mouth often implies living paycheck to paycheck, constantly having to allocate funds for necessities like food, rent, and bills, while having no ability to accumulate wealth or save for emergencies. This condition is usually associated with individuals in low-paying or unstable jobs, living with limited resources and facing the constant threat of financial distress.
Overall, the term "live hand to mouth" denotes a state of financial vulnerability, where one's earnings are solely devoted to immediate survival needs, leaving little to no room for future planning or financial security.
