dollar-a-year

[ dol-er-uh-yeer ]

adjective

of or being an official or employee, especially a federal appointee, who receives a token annual salary, usually of one dollar: a dollar-a-year man.

Origin of dollar-a-year

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20

I know a few folks—like Vikram Pandit at Citigroup and even Edward Liddy at AIG—have jumped in to serve as dollar-a-year CEOs.
Give the Bonuses Back—Or Else | Matt Miller | March 16, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
I do not recognize as sanctified any ceremony that can be annulled by a five-thousand-dollar-a-year judge.
Nat Goodwin's Book | Nat C. Goodwin
A man may draw a twenty-thousand-dollar-a-year salary at Macy's and still be compelled to sign his time.
The Romance of a Great Store | Edward Hungerford
"Because they'll make you a dollar-a-year man and we're not in this to make any stinking dollar a year," Harry Bettis said.
Summer Snow Storm | Adam Chase
As a substitute Blodgett spoke of some dollar-a-year work in Washington.
The Guarded Heights | Wadsworth Camp

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