dime

noun

ˈdīm 

1

a

: 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)

called also dime bag

4

informal : money provided to pay expenses

Executives in a perk-rich environment get used to living on the company's dime [=on the company's money; at the company's expense]

—James Surowiecki

They hopped a Greyhound, on their own dime, and had such a good time they stayed on …

—Mark Ribowsky

The boys are worthless, feckless layabouts, living off David's dime.

—Whitney Pastorek

5

informal

a

basketball : a pass by a player who enables a teammate to make a basket

Harden ended up recording his first triple-double of the season with 44 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He delivered seven dimes to Capela …

—Tim MacMahon

—often used with drop

Not only was he scoring in the post and grabbing rebounds, he also was dropping dimes [=making passes to enable teammates to score] including a flashy pass to Chance Coyle.

—Hendrix Magley

b

American football : an accurate pass by a quarterback to a receiver

—often used with drop

He spun out of sacks and threw on the run, dropping dimes down the field that few quarterbacks in history could be trusted to deliver.

—Ryan Kartje

Phrases

a dime a dozen

: so plentiful or commonplace as to be of little esteem or slight value

on a dime

1

: in a very small area

these cars can turn on a dime

2

: instantly

Synonyms

• chicken feed [slang]
• chump change
• hay
• mite
• peanuts
• pin money
• pittance
• shoestring
• song
• two cents

Examples of dime in a Sentence

the beauty of this deal is that all the extras won't cost you a dime

Recent Examples on the Web

The role turns on a dime between larger-than-life villain to kindly father figure, from smooth-talking charmer to impotent comic relief, and Slater tears into each facet of the character with bloodthirsty relish. —Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024

Practically every meeting tool is baking in AI features for extracting key points and action items; transcription apps are a dime a dozen; there’s a whole industry of startups hoping to get a few bucks a month in order to make your meetings a little more efficient. —David Pierce, The Verge, 15 Apr. 2024

Friday was highlighted by a stunning chip in birdie at the sixth and an approach that stopped on a dime two holes later that delighted patrons. —Jack Bantock, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024

From Biscayne Bay to Coconut Grove, high-rise condos in Miami appear to be a dime a dozen. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024

In a world where wildlife docs are a dime a dozen, this niche focus stands out from the herd. —Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2024

This leads the team to Rep. Shirley Ives (Mandy Levin), who led the hearing and reluctantly shows Parker and Vance (Rocky Carroll) footage of Greene spotting a flying vehicle performing right-angle turns, avoiding radar, and reversing directions on a dime. —Sara Netzley, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2024

Despite its reputation for being on the pricier side, Iceland offers a treasure trove of experiences that don't cost a dime. —David Nikel, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

Italian restaurants are a dime a dozen in a city in New York, though few places deliver on food, beverage, and ambiance like Cucina Alba. —Vicki Denig, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, tenth part, tithe, from Anglo-French disme, dime, from Latin decima, from feminine of decimus tenth, from decem ten — more at ten

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing dime

• a dime a dozen
• dime novel
• dime store
• drop a dime
• five-and-dime
• half dime
• nickel-and-dime
• not cost a dime/nickel
• on a dime

Kids Definition

dime

noun

ˈdīm 

: a U.S. coin worth ⅒ dollar

Etymology

Middle English dime "a tenth part," from early French dime (same meaning), derived from Latin decimus "a tenth part," from decem "ten" — related to december, decimal, dozen