Meaning of ‘a Dime a Dozen’
The phrase ‘a dime a dozen means that something is common and easy to obtain. Basically, this expression is often used to describe things that are cheap and ordinary, having no special significance to them.
Example: Those cheap plastic containers are a dime a dozen at any general store, so that would be the best place to start if you need any.
Similar Phrases: as common as grass, bought for a song, nothing special, run of the mill
Related Idioms:
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Origin of ‘a Dime a Dozen’
The first U.S. dimes were produced for circulation in the year 1796, so it would make sense that the origin of the expression ‘a dime a dozen’ came sometime later. But when exactly did this phrase start to appear in print? It appears to have emerged in the 19th century.
During that time, there were several newspapers with advertisements for various foods, including eggs, oranges, and peaches. The listed price for these foods was literally ‘a dime a dozen’, which sounds like a great deal at the time. However, keep in mind that a dime was worth more back then compared to its value today. The point is, this could be where the phrase ‘dime a dozen’ originated from—those amazing deals that were commonplace in the 19th century.
One of the newspapers that used the expression in a literal way was the Galveston Daily News, 1866:
“The San Antonio Ledger says the city is well stocked with peaches at a dime a dozen.”
When did this expression develop its figurative meaning of ‘something that is very common and cheap’? It’s possible that it was around the 1930s, as the saying was used in a metaphorical way around this time. For instance, from the Sandusky Register newspaper, 1937:
“Smiles were a dime a dozen in the Yankee clubhouse. Even Colonel Ruppert, owner of the club, was so stated he went from player to player shaking hands.”
Example Sentences
Let’s look at a few usage cases for the idiom ‘a dime a dozen.’
Examples:
1. In the city, ordinary coffee shops are a dime in a dozen, as they can be found on nearly every block.
2. Used books are a dime a dozen at the local bookstore, so if I need new reading material I usually browse there first.
Examples That Use Similar Phrases:
1. We went to a restaurant that looked amazing inside, but the food was pretty run-of-the-mill.
2. After all the hype surrounding the movie, the consensus from my group of friends was that it was nothing special.
3. Job openings are as common as grass in the tech industry, but I’m still struggling to land one.
Job openings are as common as grass in the tech industry.