PhrasesHub

Not worth a plugged nickel

    Definitions

      • discourage someone
        Advise against engaging in a particular activity or task, cautioning that it will not result in any positive outcome or benefit

      • indicate lack of value
        Express that something is of little or no worth or importance

    Examples of Not worth a plugged nickel

    • The new reality TV show about professional air guitar players didn't get good ratings, it's not worth a plugged nickel.

      The idiom "not worth a plugged nickel" means that something is not worth even a very small amount of money. In this example, the explanation is clear since we know that a plugged nickel is a worthless object - a nickel with a hole drilled into it - and thus, the value of the show is less than that of a plugged nickel. Another example could be "The restaurant's service was so slow, we waited an hour for our food. The food was cold by the time it arrived, and it wasn't worth a plugged nickel." In this example, the bad service and cold food made the overall dining experience not worth the money spent.

    • My cousin's band played at a college party last night, but the crowd wasn't into it. In fact, they barely paid any attention to them. The band didn't get any tips and they left feeling like they weren't worth a plugged nickel.

      In this example, the band's performance and lack of recognition from the audience made their time and effort feel worthless, as if they could have earned more value by doing something else. Using the expression "not worth a plugged nickel" helps to emphasize this feeling of being undervalued.

    • The museum's new exhibit about ancient coins is pretty boring. I feel like I could've learned more just by reading a book. It's not worth a plugged nickel.

      The museum exhibit wasn't interesting enough to make it worth the admission price. The person attending the exhibit felt like they could have learned the same information elsewhere for a much lower cost. This example shows how the expression "not worth a plugged nickel" can apply to non-financial situations, where value is measured by learning or enjoyment gained.

    • I tried this new food trend that everyone's been talking about, but I didn't like it at all. It tasted weird and I didn't enjoy eating it. I'm glad I only spent a few dollars on it, because it really wasn't worth a plugged nickel.

      This example illustrates how the expression "not worth a plugged nickel" can apply to personal preferences. While some people might enjoy the food trend, the person in this example found it to be a waste of money due to their lack of enjoyment. The small sum spent on the food reinforces this feeling of wasted money.

    • Attending that play was not worth a plugged nickel. The acting was terrible, the plot was confusing, and the set designs were uninspired.

      The phrase "not worth a plugged nickel" means that something is not valuable or worthless. A plugged nickel is a coin that has been altered or tampered with, making it worth less than its face value. In this example, the play was so poor in quality that the cost of attending was not even equal to the value of a plugged nickel.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "not worth a plugged nickel" is used to discourage someone from engaging in a particular activity or task, cautioning that it will not result in any positive outcome or benefit. It can also be used to indicate the lack of value, expressing that something is of little or no worth or importance.

    Origin of "Not worth a plugged nickel"

    The phrase "not worth a plugged nickel" originated in the United States in the late 19th century. At that time, a "plugged nickel" was a coin that had been altered or tampered with, making it worth less than its face value. This led to the expression being used to describe something of little or no value. Over time, the phrase evolved to its current form, "not worth a plugged nickel," and continues to be used to convey the idea of something being worthless or insignificant.