I. ˌni-kəl-ən-ˈdīm adjective
Date: 1941
1. : involving or offering only a small amount of money
2. : small-time
II. transitive verb
( nick·eled-and-dimed ˌni-kəld-ən-ˈdīmd ; or nick·el-and-dimed -ən-ˈdīmd ; nick·el·ing-and-dim·ing -ˈdī-miŋ ; 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