NICKEL-AND-DIME


Meaning of NICKEL-AND-DIME in English

Function: transitive verb

Inflected Form: nick · eled-and-dimed \ ˌ ni-k ə ld- ə n- ' d ī md \ or nick · el-and-dimed \ - ə n- ' d ī md \ ; nick · el · ing-and-dim · ing \ - ' d ī -mi ŋ \ or nickel-and-diming

Date: 1961

1 : to impair, weaken, or defeat piecemeal (as through a series of small incursions or excessive attention to minor details)

2 : to treat (as a person or situation) by paying excessive attention to small amounts of money often with a detrimental effect

Merriam Webster Collegiate English Dictionary.      Merriam Webster - Энциклопедический словарь английского языка.