n.
Pronunciation: ' d ī m
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, tenth part, tithe, from Anglo-French disme, dime, from Latin decima, from feminine of decimus tenth, from decem ten ― more at TEN
Date: 1786
1 a : a coin of the U.S. worth 1/10 dollar b : a petty sum of money
2 : a Canadian 10-cent piece
3 slang : a packet containing 10 dollars worth of an illicit drug (as marijuana) ― called also dime bag
– a dime a dozen : so plentiful or commonplace as to be of little esteem or slight value
– on a dime
1 : in a very small area <these cars can turn on a dime >
2 : INSTANTLY