spoil the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar

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English[edit]

Verb[edit]

spoil the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar (third-person singular simple present spoils the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar, present participle spoiling the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar, simple past and past participle spoiled the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar or spoilt the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar)

  1. To have something important fail for want of a small amount of money or effort.
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