chump change

noun

Etymology

From the idea that only chumps would fall for it. The neutral sense is an extension from the sense concerning indignation.

Definitions

  1. An amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be…

    An amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be insultingly small.

    • If you sell one of those cars, your commission will be chump change.
    • I don't work for chump change. I quit!
    • It was hard to get two dollars out of either of them, and whatever chump change they gave Mere'maw they expected her to squeeze it until it hollered.
  2. A sum of money considered to be insignificant.

    • Near-synonyms: petty cash, pocket money, walk-around money, walking-around money; small change, pocket change, loose change, spare change; pittance
    • He spent $300,000 for his new car, but that's chump change for a billionaire like him.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for chump change. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA