The dime was first minted in 1796. In the 1800s, many goods such as eggs or apples were advertised to cost a dime a dozen in the United States. A phrase that began as a way to tout good value for the money evolved into a phrase that means something nearly worthless by virtue of its commonness and easy availability.
What does 'dime' mean in American slang?
A "dime" is someone who is a 10/10, referring to the value of a dime. A "sun dog" is when a ring of light and a few beams surround the sun, like a lens flare on a camera. "Hollin" means to insult someone. A "buggy" is a shopping cart. "Spendy" is Portland slang for something expensive.
What is the etymology of the word dime?
The word dime comes from the Old French disme (Modern French dîme), meaning "tithe" or "tenth part", from the Latin decima [pars]. In the past prices have occasionally been quoted on signage and other materials in terms of dimes, abbreviated as "d" or a lowercase "d" with a slash through it (₫) as with the cent and mill signs.
What does "dime" mean in English?
dime (dee-meh) A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g once upon a time). phrase. ...
What is the meaning of nickel and dime?
adj. 1. Involving or paying only a small amount of money: a nickel-and-dime job. 2. Minor; small-time: "a nickel-and-dime operation run out of a single borrowed room"(New York). v.nick·el-and-dimed, nick·el-and-dim·ing, nick·el-and-dimesor nick·eled-and-dimedor nick·el·ing-and-dim·ingor nick·els-and-dimes. v.intr.
Where did the term dime come from?
The word dime comes from the Old French disme (Modern French dîme), meaning "tithe" or "tenth part", from the Latin decima [pars].
What is the slang meaning of dime?
10 dollarsDefinition of dime 1a : a coin of the U.S. worth ¹/₁₀ dollar. b : a petty sum of money. 2 : a Canadian 10-cent piece. 3 slang : a packet containing 10 dollars worth of an illicit drug (such as marijuana)
Why are good passes called dimes?
The term "dropping dimes" in basketball refers to an "assist". A player does a lot of hard work, drawing multiple defenders to himself/herself, then passes the ball unselfishly to a teammate for an easy score. The passer is credited with an "assist" for this effort.Sep 28, 2015
What does it mean if a guy calls you a dime?
If someone's a dime piece or a dime, they're mighty attractive — as in, a perfect 10. This is part of a complete episode.Oct 11, 2013
What does throwing a dime mean?
You get it. But NFL's Next Gen Stats sought to define what an actual “dime” is and which quarterbacks are the best at throwing them. They define a “dime” as a pass that travels at least 30 yards in the air and fits into windows of one yard or less.Oct 10, 2019
What does dropping dimes in basketball mean?
assistsDropping dimes is a catchy slang phrase for assists in basketball. The phrase is normally used when a basketball player makes a highlight reel type of pass like a no-look pass or an alley-oop that ends in a vicious slam dunk. This usually results in the crowd going crazy!
Why is a basket called a dime?
Giving someone a dime to make a phone call was “assisting” them, so a dime became an assist in basketball.
What are basketball terms?
Air Ball: The ball misses the hoop and backboard entirely. Alley-oop: A high arc pass to a teammate in a position near the basket to leap and score. Alternating-possession rule: A rule in which teams take turns possessing the ball after stopped plays. Assist: A pass that sets up a score.
What does "dime a dozen" mean?
This idiom means that something is easy to find or obtain. Since it's easy to find, it doesn't have a lot of value and is considered cheap or ordinary. Here's how to use it in sentences:
Is "dime a dozen" an insult?
It depends on how you use the phrase—you can use it without malice, after all. Let's use the examples above to discuss its different uses:
What does it mean to drop a dime?
It is almost impossible to trace. Continue Reading. To drop a dime means to surreptitiously report someone to authorities. This is usually done anonymously. It is also known as snitching. The phrase dates back to the time long before the mobile phone era, when coin-operated pay telephones were commonplace.
What does "dropping a dime" mean?
Hence “dropping a dime” initially meant simply placing a call from a pay phone. Later on the phrase acquired the special meaning of snitching from a pay phone because that device was used so often by anonymous informants. Finally, the slang phrase came to mean any act of snitching, regardless of the means.
Who said "one thin dime won't shine your shoes"?
Another use is “one thin dime,” popularized by “On Broadway” (sung by The Drifters and others). “When all you got is one thin dime, And one thin dime won’t even shine your shoes.”. The reference, as I take it, is that one isn’t quite broke, but has only a minimal amount. Related Answer. Michael Baumgartner.
