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  1. dime love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. A coin of the United States or Canada worth ten cents.
  2. n. Slang A dime bag.
  3. idiom. a dime a dozen Overly abundant; commonplace.
  4. idiom. on a dime At a precise point; within a narrowly defined area: a sports car that stops on a dime.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. A tithe.
  2. n. The number ten.
  3. n. A silver coin of the United States, of the value of 10 cents, being the tenth part of a dollar, worth about pence English.
  4. Sold for a dime.

Wiktionary

  1. n. US A coin worth one-tenth of a dollar. The physical coin is smaller than a penny.
  2. n. Canada A coin worth one-tenth of a Canadian dollar.
  3. n. US, basketball An assist
  4. n. slang A playing card with the rank of ten
  5. n. slang Ten dollars
  6. n. slang A thousand dollars
  7. n. slang A measurement of illicit drugs (usually marijuana) sold in ten dollar bags.
  8. n. slang A very small area
  9. n. slang Payment responsibility
  10. n. slang A beautiful woman (10 from the 10-point scale)
  11. v. US, slang, with "on" To inform on, to turn in to the authorities, to rat on, especially anonymously.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. A silver coin of the United States, of the value of ten cents; the tenth of a dollar.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. a United States coin worth one tenth of a dollar
  2. n. street name for a packet of illegal drugs that is sold for ten dollars

Etymologies

  1. From the use of the coin in a payphone to report a crime to the police. US payphones charged 10¢ in almost all jurisdictions until the late 1970s. (Wiktionary)
  2. Middle English, tenth part, from Old French disme, from Latin decima (pars), tenth (part), from decem, ten; see dekm̥ in Indo-European roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

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Lists

These user-created lists contain the word ‘dime’.

Comments

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  • ruzuzu The American
    Heritage Dictionary's
    etymology:

    "Middle English, tenth
    part, from Old French disme, from
    Latin decima...." Jun 28, 2010

  • bilby My what talent's here!
    A boar's rush of poetry
    Even dontcraiku. Mar 7, 2009

  • dontcry just discovered page
    loving haiku posted here
    cinquain's still my fave Mar 7, 2009

  • lea One thousand is called a "dime". It is a term that gamblers have been using forever.
    - A comment in Language Hat's blog. John linked there earlier @ sawbuck. Mar 7, 2009

  • gangerh ps

    'twasn't deliberate I feel Jan 25, 2008

  • gangerh uselessness

    your comment prompts my memory

    'twas said I know not when but by a footballer when asked about an upcoming game, I think

    "I never predict the future, AND I NEVER WILL".

    love your name btw. Jan 25, 2008

  • uselessness 'Twas deliberate.
    I've never made a mistake
    (And I never will). Jan 25, 2008

  • sionnach "I've always said reesetee"
    But I steer clear of haiku
    though I can count to six. Jan 25, 2008

  • reesetee My apologies.
    Uselessness was always right.
    Brilliant guy, he is. Jan 25, 2008

  • uselessness Hold on there, reesetee.
    I sure didn't get it wrong.
    I've always said "reesetee." Jan 25, 2008

  • reesetee No worries, my friend.
    Everyone gets it wrong once.
    Someday, better nick. Jan 25, 2008

  • asativum Oops. My bad, reesetee.
    I'll just stick to News Haikus.
    Plus, I'm out of dimes.
    Jan 25, 2008

  • reesetee I hate to tell you
    "ReeseTee" has two syllables.
    So much for haiku. Jan 25, 2008

  • asativum Well said, reesetee,
    And you as well, uselessness.
    S: please pass the bag. Jan 25, 2008

  • reesetee Or sometimes it's like
    Hippopotamus stomach
    And pickled pig lips. Jan 24, 2008

  • uselessness It's drugs and Wordie;
    They go together like, um...
    Like desktops and mud? Jan 24, 2008

  • seanahan This has gotten weird.
    Someone is smoking something.
    Perhaps a dime bag. Jan 24, 2008

  • asativum Nice of them to make
    Their name five syllables, no?
    (And thanks, uselessness.)
    Jan 24, 2008

  • uselessness Say, Asativum,
    That Wikipedia link
    Made a great haiku. Jan 24, 2008

  • asativum Once cheap, copper soared,
    Til a cent cost more to make.
    Now it's just habit.
    Jan 24, 2008

  • reesetee I should explain, then.
    I meant the color copper.
    Weird little brown coin. Jan 23, 2008

  • asativum Just a copper shell;
    Most of it seems to be zinc.
    --Wikipedia Jan 23, 2008

  • reesetee And what about the
    Penny? Why is it copper?
    I just don't get it. Jan 23, 2008

  • uselessness A dime is so small
    A nickel is much bigger
    Money is a joke Jan 23, 2008

  • yarb When I was at school
    "dime bar" was playground slang for
    a doltish person. Jan 23, 2008

  • reesetee Make that six haikus
    This is Wordie, after all:
    We can't help ourselves. Jan 23, 2008

  • asativum Five haikus on change,
    Didn't even cost a dime.
    Ha! How cool is that?
    Jan 23, 2008

  • seanahan I stole some ice cream
    Then uselessness dropped the dime
    Now I am in jail Jan 23, 2008

  • uselessness What a special coin.
    I can see why it was dear.
    I wish mine did drugs. Jan 22, 2008

  • oroboros Yes, you may wonder,
    But the dime was on steroids.
    Big controversy! Jan 22, 2008

  • uselessness Ice cream for ten cents?
    In 2008, you say?
    Just where do you live? Jan 21, 2008

  • oroboros Hello shiny friend,
    I will never let you go.
    Oops! An ice cream truck.

    --heard on NPR (and slightly modified) Jan 19, 2008

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‘dime’ has been looked up 2734 times, loved by 2 people, added to 13 lists, commented on 32 times, and has a Scrabble score of 7.