Word Study
nickel-and-dime
CIDE DICTIONARY
nickel-and-dime, v. t.
- To harass or annoy with petty demands or for trivial reasons; [PJC]
- To weaken or impair gradually or by small steps; as, to be nickel-and-dimed into bankruptcy by the operating overhead. [PJC]
nickel-and-dime, a.
- Trivial; unimportant; petty; as, nickel-and-dime criticisms. [PJC]
- Involving only small amounts of money; small-time; as, a nickel-and-dime business operation. [PJC]
For further exploring for "nickel-and-dime" in Webster Dictionary Online