/nik"euhl euhn duym"/ , adj., v., nickel-and-dimed or nickeled-and-dimed, nickel-and-diming or nickeling-and-diming . Informal.
adj.
1. of little or no importance; trivial; petty: a nickel-and-dime business that soon folded.
v.t.
2. to expose to financial hardship or bankruptcy by the accumulation of small expenses, bills, etc.: We're being nickel-and-dimed to death by these small weekly expenses.
3. to hinder, annoy, or harass with trivialities or nonessentials: to be nickeled-and-dimed by petty criticisms.
[ 1965-70 ]