the smell of an oily rag

/ðə smˈɛl əvən ˈɔɪli ɹˈaɡ/

/ðə smˈɛl əvən ˈɔɪli ɹˈæɡ/

[phrase]

[PHRASE]

the smallest amount of something, particularly fuel or money, that is necessary for surviving or functioning

Examples

1. I spent a year travelling abroad, and I lived on the smell of an oily rag to get by.

2. This trusty little car may not look like much, but she runs on the smell of an oily rag.

3. We ran on the smell of an oily rag, so I mean, literally, we ran our cars off old fish and chip oil from the chip shop.

4. The very good operators are the ones that are in other parts around the world, where the money is not so easy to come to, and they've got ta learn how to run a business off the smell of an oily rag, right?