A dime a dozen is the opposite of our last lesson--hard to come by. If something is a dime a dozen, it's found everywhere. You don't have to look hard for it. Using our examples from the last blog, if a clean public restroom is hard to come by, then dirty restrooms are a dime a dozen, which means that most restrooms that you go into are dirty. Similarly, if a good worker who provides good customer service is hard to come by, then horrible, mean store workers are a dime a dozen.
As with hard to come by, anything can be a dime a dozen: a type of car you see most on the road, a kind of store you see on a particular street, or pedestrians who don't follow traffic signals. When you don't have to look hard to find something because it's everywhere, it's a dime a dozen.
A: I'm looking for a nice map of the U.S. that I can use in my class. Do you know where I can get one?
B: Yeah. Those are a dime a dozen. Just look for one of those book vendors near subway stations, and they usually have all kinds of children's books, as well as various types of maps.
A: Really! I usually just walk past them. I'll check them out next time.
B: Yeah, you should. I just bought a nice appointment planner from one of those vendors.
A: Really? They have those, too?
B: Oh yeah. They're also a dime a dozen, and they're usually cheaper than at a bookstore.
A: Wow. I'm going to have to do some shopping on my way to work tomorrow.
hard to come by - difficult to find (see August 10 blog below)
Alright everyone, look around and name five things that are a dime a dozen in your neighborhood. In my neighborhood, Chinese fast food restaurants, funeral parlors, cats, laundromats, and convenience stores are a dime a dozen.