dime
/daɪm/noun
1- N. Amer. a ten-cent coin〈北美〉十分硬币。
1.1
- informal a small amount of money〈非正式〉小钱, 少量的钱：
he didn't have a dime.
他一点钱都没有。
1.2
- informal used to refer to something small in size, area, or degree〈非正式〉（就尺寸、面积或程度而言的）小东西：
Mars was now an orb the size of a dime.
火星现在是一个小天体。
短语
a dime a dozen
- informal very common and of no particular value〈非正式〉一毛钱买一打的, 常见而不值钱的：
experts in this field are a dime a dozen.
这方面的专家一抓一大把。
drop a（或the）dime on someone
- informal inform on someone〈非正式〉告发。
get off the dime
- informal be decisive and show initiative〈非正式〉果断, 采取主动：
at some point you have to get off the dime and do something.
在适当的时候, 你要果断地采取行动。
on a dime
1
- informal used to refer to a manoeuvre that can be performed by a moving vehicle or person within a small area or short distance〈非正式〉指在小范围（或短距离）内（移动中的车辆或人）进行的调动（或机动）动作：
boats that can turn on a dime.
可在小范围内掉头的船。
1.1
- quickly or instantly迅速地; 立即：
he turned on a dime into a low voice.
他立即将音量调低。
词源
late Middle English: from Old French disme, from Latin decima pars 'tenth part'. The word originally denoted a tithe or tenth part; the modern sense 'ten cent coin' dates from the late 18th cent.