nickel-and-dime
verb /ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪm/
/ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪm/
(North American English)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they nickel-and-dime | /ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪm/ /ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪm/ |
| he / she / it nickel-and-dimes | /ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪmz/ /ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪmz/ |
| past simple nickel-and-dimed | /ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪmd/ /ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪmd/ |
| past participle nickel-and-dimed | /ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪmd/ /ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪmd/ |
| -ing form nickel-and-diming | /ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪmɪŋ/ /ˌnɪkl ən ˈdaɪmɪŋ/ |
- nickel-and-dime something/somebody to spend or save very small amounts of money; to charge small amounts of money for lots of extra items
- Set the money aside so you don't nickel-and-dime it away.
- We decided to go ahead even if we have to nickel-and-dime it.
- She's careful not to nickel-and-dime clients for extra charges.
Word Origin1930s: originally denoting a shop selling articles costing five or ten cents.