shatting on one's uppers

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

Meaning · English

Completely out of money; broke.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

She has to blow and she's shatting on her uppers. She figures the peeper can get her some dough.

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 “shatting on one's uppers” mean?

Completely out of money; broke.

Is “shatting on one's uppers” formal or informal?

shatting on one's uppers is generally slang.