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drop dimes

In basketball slang, to drop dimes means to dish out a string of beautiful assists — perfectly timed passes that set up teammates for easy buckets.

ˈdɹɑp ˈdaɪmzDocumented since 1950s1950shistorical81 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Born ~1950 · no dated citations yet
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#1·Apr 28, 2026

In basketball slang, to drop dimes means to dish out a string of beautiful assists — perfectly timed passes that set up teammates for easy buckets. A player who drops dimes is a floor general, a playmaker, someone whose passes are so crisp and well-placed they're almost currency. The phrase is also used more broadly to mean to make a quick, often small, payment, but the sports sense has become dominant in modern American slang, celebrated in highlight reels and commentator praise alike.

He finished the game with twelve assists, dropping dimes all night and making everyone around him look like an all-star.
Origin: Originally derived from 'drop a dime', meaning to make a phone call (a dime being the cost of a pay-phone call in mid-20th century America), later repurposed in basketball slang to mean a precision assist. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
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#3·Apr 27, 2026

(sports) To make multiple assists.

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#2·Apr 27, 2026

To pay a small amount.

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