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A dime a dozen

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Something very common, abundant, and of little value or uniqueness.

Detailed Definition
A dime a dozen describes anything plentiful and ordinary, lacking rarity or special worth in a saturated context. Poetry employs this idiom to critique societal conformity, mass production of ideas, or the devaluation of the everyday, often contrasting it with true originality. It appears in verses lamenting lost individuality amid crowds or questioning artistic merit in abundant creations, lending concise social commentary. The phrase's casual tone contrasts sharp insight, suiting modernist and contemporary poetry that dissects consumer culture, fleeting fame, or the struggle for distinction in a world overflowing with the mundane, highlighting themes of authenticity and scarcity of genuine voice.
Example
Example in poetry:
The modernist poem critiques conformity: "Ideas flow a dime a dozen in crowded halls where voices blur to gray."; In a haiku sequence: "Stars a dime a dozen, yet one catches the weary traveler's longing eye."; Example for students: "Poets employ this to contrast abundance with true rarity, as in lines lamenting mass-produced dreams."; "Love letters arrive a dime a dozen, but yours alone stirs the soul's deep current."
Additional Notes
Common since the early 20th century, this phrase critiques mass culture and devalues the ordinary, suiting modernist poetry that laments lost uniqueness amid abundance. Professors can highlight its use contrasting everyday items with rare emotions in haikus or list poems. Tip for students: Employ to satirize social conformity or fleeting fame, enhancing themes of authenticity; combine with metaphors of crowded markets versus solitary gems for layered social commentary.
Also Known As
Ten a penny Common as dirt Two a penny
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