on a dime

Idioms  

1. In a very small space, suddenly, as in That horse is so well trained it can turn on a dime. This expression alludes to the fact that the dime is the smallest-size U.S. coin. [Early 1900s]

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Example Sentences

In the NFL, it isn’t uncommon for the fortunes of crummy teams to turn on a dime.

From The Wall Street Journal

“This is ultimately not something someone can change on a dime,” she says.

From MarketWatch

“It was impossible for all of us to turn on a dime,” said Joseph Costigan, chief executive of IBC Customs Brokerage, which helps process imports and calculates duties and fees for products.

From The Wall Street Journal

For starters, auto makers can’t shift production or plans on a dime.

From Barron's

"Companies can't move on a dime; there are incentives to keep supply chains in place and it's extremely complicated and costly to change things."

From BBC

Related Words

• directly
• immediately
• instantaneously
• right away