NICKEL-AND-DIME

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does nickel-and-dime mean? 

• NICKEL-AND-DIME (adjective)
  The adjective NICKEL-AND-DIME has 2 senses:

1. of minor importance

2. low-paying

  Familiarity information: NICKEL-AND-DIME used as an adjective is rare.

• NICKEL-AND-DIME (verb)
  The verb NICKEL-AND-DIME has 2 senses:

1. spend money frugally; spend as little as possible

2. accumulate gradually

  Familiarity information: NICKEL-AND-DIME used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NICKEL-AND-DIME (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of minor importance

Synonyms:

nickel-and-dime; small-time

Context example:

a small-time actor

Similar:

unimportant (not important)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Low-paying

Context example:

a nickel-and-dime job

Similar:

cheap; inexpensive (relatively low in price or charging low prices)

• NICKEL-AND-DIME (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Spend money frugally; spend as little as possible

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

nickel-and-dime; penny-pinch

Hypernyms (to "nickel-and-dime" is one way to...):

drop; expend; spend (pay out)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Accumulate gradually

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

she nickeled-and-dimed together a small house for her family

Hypernyms (to "nickel-and-dime" is one way to...):

come up; scrape; scrape up; scratch (gather (money or other resources) together over time)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something