dime

[ dahym ]

noun

1. a cupronickel-clad coin of the U.S. and Canada, the 10th part of a dollar, equal to 10 cents.
2. Slang.
   1. ten dollars.
   2. a 10-year prison sentence.
   3. dime bag.

dime

/ daɪm /

noun

1. a coin of the US and Canada, worth one tenth of a dollar or ten cents
2. a dime a dozen
   a dime a dozen very cheap or common

Word History and Origins

Origin of dime¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French di ( s ) me < Latin decima tenth part, tithe, noun use of feminine of decimus tenth, derivative of decem ten

Word History and Origins

Origin of dime¹

C14: from Old French disme, from Latin decimus tenth, from decem ten

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. a dime a dozen, Informal. so abundant that the value has decreased; readily available.

More idioms and phrases containing dime

In addition to the idiom beginning with dime , also see drop a dime ; get off the dime ; not worth a dime on a dime .

Example Sentences

He’d even gone as far as installing protective gates on his own dime.

From Popular-Science

Add in a little negotiation, and you’ll ensure you never waste a dime.

From Popular-Science

Additionally, if the tax increase did lead to a significant increase in electric vehicle purchases, SANDAG would have done a great deal to reduce carbon emissions without spending a dime.

From Voice of San Diego

Unlike calling the SEC, however, that won’t earn them a dime.

From Fortune

The artist never sees a dime from that, relying instead on the value of future releases to pay dividends on the work.

From TechCrunch

Antoine himself had recently been arrested on a six-year-old warrant for a dime bag of weed.

From The Daily Beast

In a country where talk is “cheap” and opinions are “a dime a dozen,” we give the facts special privileges and special status.

From The Daily Beast

God help us, it all took place on our taxpayer dime, all in the name of defending the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.

From The Daily Beast

I pressed the dime-sized rubber button on my vest, which was linked to my radio.

From The Daily Beast

He spun three times, stopped on a dime, and flashed the familiar “jazz hands” pose before walking away.

From The Daily Beast

They ran a dime apiece up into multi-millions without batting their eye-lashes.

From Project Gutenberg

An itching red spot about the size of a dime was noticed in thirty-six hours, and it steadily increased in size.

From Project Gutenberg

Some day New York will find out that 'the finest police force in the world' is the biggest sham outside the dime museum.

From Project Gutenberg

"Thank you," returned Average Jones, enormously entertained by the dime-novel setting which his host had provided for him.

From Project Gutenberg

"Old Bishop Berkeley would give a nonexistent dime to your nonexistent presence," Anders said gaily.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• reveal