on a dime
With sudden precision
On a dime describes something happening in a very small space or with sudden precision.
A car that stops on a dime brakes instantly and exactly.
A basketball player who turns on a dime pivots sharply without momentum carrying them forward.
The phrase references the dime's small diameter—the tightest circle American currency can make.
- nimblenessEase of quick movement
- maneuverabilityEase of controlled movement
- tight turnsAcute changes in direction
- at the drop of a hatWithout any delay
- in a flashWithout any delay
accuracy · responsiveness · dexterity · snap decision · hairpin turn · stop short · dead stop · finesse · control · pivot · quick reflexes · efficiency · compactness · small footprint · quickness · like clockwork · adaptability · sharpness
on a dimegradually
In slow stages
slowly · incrementally · by degrees · little by little · bit by bit
on a dimeclumsily
In an uncoordinated manner
awkwardly · loosely · sloppily · haphazardly · imprecisely