Definitions for nickel-and-dime
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
nick′el-and-dime′*(adj.; v.)nick•el-and-dimed; nick•eled-and-dimed, nick•el-and-dim•ing; nick•el•ing-and-dim•ing.
(adj.)insignificant; trivial; petty.
Category: Common Vocabulary, Informal
(v.t.)to expose to financial hardship by the accumulation of small expenses.
Category: Common Vocabulary, Informal
to hinder, annoy, or harass with trivialities or nonessentials.
Category: Common Vocabulary, Informal
* Informal..
Origin of nickel-and-dime:
1965–70
Princeton's WordNet
nickel-and-dime, small-time(adj)
of minor importance
"a nickel-and-dime operation run out of a single rented room"; "a small-time actor"
nickel-and-dime(a)(verb)
low-paying
"a nickel-and-dime job"
penny-pinch, nickel-and-dime(verb)
spend money frugally; spend as little as possible
nickel-and-dime(verb)
accumulate gradually
"she nickeled-and-dimed together a small house for her family"
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