Obs. Forms: 3–5 chinche, 4–5 chynche, 5 chynshe, 6 chynch, chince, 4 chyche, 4–5 chiche. [ME. chiche, a. OF. (and mod.) chiche parsimonious, = Cat. xic, chic little, of little worth, Sp. chico little; cf. It. cica small thing. In later F. it became chinche, by nasalization of i (as in various other words). In Eng. also chinche in later use; often written by copyists, where the rhyme shows that the original had chiche.]
A. adj. Niggardly, sparing, penurious, parsimonious, miserly.
a. 1300. Havelok, 1763. He … dide greyþe a super riche, Also he was no [whit] chinche [so l. 2941].
c. 1320. Seuyn Sag. (W.), 1244. And that other lef to pinche, Bothe he was scars, and chinche.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 5591. He … Lyveth more at ese, & more is riche, Than doth he that is chiche. Ibid., 6001. For chynche & feloun is Richesse, That so can chase hem.
B. sb. A niggard, miser; a wretch.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 12972 (Cott.). Yeitt can þat chinche wit godd to chide.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 604. Þe gentyl cheuentayn is no chyche.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melibeus, ¶ 653. An auaricious man or chynche.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour, ciii. 136. A woman shulde not be a chiche of that she hathe in gret plente.
1570. Levins, Manip., 134. A chince, parcus.
