stint
UK: stɪnt | US: stɪnt
n. a limited or fixed period of work or effort
vt. to restrict or limit someone (especially in resources or allowance)
vi. to be sparing or frugal
The word "stint" traces back to Old English styntan, which originally meant "to blunt" or "dull" (e.g., a tool). Over time, it metaphorically shifted to imply "limiting" or "restricting" (as if dulling excess). By the 14th century, it acquired the sense of assigning a fixed task or period of labor, reflecting its modern meanings of limitation or frugality.
She completed a brief stint as a volunteer before moving abroad.
The manager stinted on office supplies, frustrating the staff.
Birds like sandpipers often forage without stint during migration.
He never stints in his efforts to help others.
Her two-year stint at the company ended with a promotion.