not have a pot to piss in

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

To possess no money or resources.

Register: slang, vulgar

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

When I grew up, my family was so poor we didn't have a pot to piss in, so we pissed in other people's pots. We'd break into people's houses in the dead of night, find people's pots and take a giant piss in them because we had accumulated full bladders from holding down urine all day long from waitin

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “not have a pot to piss in” mean?

To possess no money or resources.

Is “not have a pot to piss in” formal or informal?

not have a pot to piss in is generally slang, vulgar.