Nickel-and-dime (original) (raw)
I. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Low-paying
Example:
a nickel-and-dime job
Classified under:
Similar:
cheap; inexpensive (relatively low in price or charging low prices)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Of minor importance
Example:
a small-time actor
Synonyms:
nickel-and-dime; small-time
Classified under:
Similar:
unimportant (not important)
II. (verb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Accumulate gradually
Example:
she nickeled-and-dimed together a small house for her family
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
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
Sense 2
Meaning:
Spend money frugally; spend as little as possible
Synonyms:
nickel-and-dime; penny-pinch
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Hypernyms (to "nickel-and-dime" is one way to...):
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s