greedy pig

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableinformaldisapproving

   A person who takes or eats far more than their fair share, especially food.

   Grammar: Countable and often used as direct address: you greedy pig!

   Patterns

   • a greedy pig
   • you greedy pig

   You ate the whole cake, you greedy pig!

   Don't be a greedy pig and leave some for your brother.

   The little boy was teased as a greedy pig for taking three desserts.

2. 2noununcountableinformal

   A children's party or dice game in which players race to score the most points without losing their turn.

   Grammar: Used as the name of the game: we played Greedy Pig.

   Patterns

   • play Greedy Pig

   The teacher used Greedy Pig to teach probability.

   We played Greedy Pig with a single dice.

   Greedy Pig rewards a careful player who stops at the right time.

Word forms

Common combinations

a real greedy pig

My cousin is a real greedy pig at buffets.

you greedy pig

You greedy pig, that was my sandwich!

don't be a greedy pig

Don't be a greedy pig and share the sweets.

play Greedy Pig

They played Greedy Pig in the maths class.

call someone a greedy pig

He called his sister a greedy pig for eating all the crisps.

Synonyms and how they differ

glutton

Glutton is stronger and more formal, and can mean someone who loves something in excess, not only food.

hog

Hog suggests someone who takes too much of something, such as the road or the bathroom.

gannet

Gannet is a British informal word for someone who eats fast and greedily.

piglet

Piglet is a softer, affectionate tease, usually for children.

Opposites

Word family

greed noun

strong desire for more than you need

greedy adjective

wanting too much of something

greedily adverb

in an eager, selfish way

greediness noun

the quality of being greedy

Commonly confused: greedy pig or piggy bank?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “greedy pig”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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