cheap

Remarkably or exceedingly inexpensive (as in, even if you doubled the price, it would still be a good value). Primarily heard in UK, Australia. I got a brand new three-piece suit for 50 bucks—cheap at twice the price!

A derogatory term for a miserly or parsimonious person. Used largely in countries of Southeast Asia, it likely originated in Vietnam during the Vietnam War to refer to American GIs (who called soldiers of the Viet Cong "Charlie") unwilling to spend extravagantly at bars, restaurants, or for prostitutes. Buy us a round of drinks, don't be a cheap Charlie!

The day of the week in Australia when many goods and services are offered at lower prices or as part of discounted deals. Primarily heard in Australia. When I was studying in university, cheap-arse Tuesday was my favorite day of the week!

If something is inexpensive, it is probably poorly made or will wear out quickly (and one will have to purchase it again). A: "I need to save some money, so I think I'm just going to buy this cheap cell phone." B: "I'd be wary if I were you. You'll probably end up spending more money—buy cheap, buy twice, and all that."

extremely cheap. Buy some more of those plums. They're dirt cheap, In Italy, the peaches are dirt cheap.

Prov. It is easier to say you will do something than to actually do it. (Saying this in response to someone who promises you something implies that you do not believe that person will keep the promise.) My boss keeps saying she'll give me a raise, but talk is cheap. You've been promising me a new dishwasher for five years now. Talk is cheap.

Prov. Why pay for something that you can get for free otherwise. (Sometimes used to describe someone who will not marry because sex without any commitment is so easy to obtain. Jocular and crude.) I don't have a car because someone always gives me a ride to work. Why buy a cow when you can get milk for free? Mary told her daughter, "You may think that boy will marry you because you're willing to sleep with him, but why should he buy a cow if he can get milk for free?"

for not much money In Paris you can eat on the cheap in some good Left Bank restaurants.

a criticism of someone that is not fair She dismissed his comments as a 'cheap shot', saying that he was only concerned to defend himself. Federal bureaucracy is the target for every cheap shot artist (= someone who likes criticizing other people) in America.

costing little money but attractive, pleasant, or enjoyable They specialize in cheap and cheerful package holidays to Spain and Portugal.

costing little money and of bad quality You know the sort of cheap and nasty clothes that are sold on market stalls.

something that you say when something is very expensive 'That'll be ￡5.20 please.' 'What? For one bottle of beer! Cheap at half the price.'

if you buy or do something on the cheap, you buy or do it for very little money, often with the result that it is of bad quality The buildings would have been a whole lot better if they hadn't been built on the cheap.

extremely cheap This may seem like a great deal of money but in advertising terms it is dirt cheap.

if life is cheap somewhere, people's lives have little value so if they die it is not important In the city, gunmen rule the streets and life is cheap.

to sell large amounts of something at cheap prices The shops at the lower end of the clothing market have survived by piling it high and selling it cheap.

Very inexpensive, a good value for the money. For example, Pete got a $3,000 rebate on his new car-it was cheap at twice the price. For a synonym see dirt cheap.

An unfair or unsporting verbal attack, as in You called him an amateur? That's really taking a cheap shot. The term originated in sports, especially American football, where it signifies deliberate roughness against an unprepared opponent. [Slang; second half of 1900s]

A stingy person, as in He's a real cheap skate when it comes to tipping. This idiom combines cheap (for "penurious") with the slang usage of skate for a contemptible or low individual. It has largely replaced the earlier cheap John. [Slang; late 1800s]

Very inexpensive, as in Their house was a real bargain, dirt cheap. Although the idea dates back to ancient times, the precise expression, literally meaning "as cheap as dirt," replaced the now obsolete dog cheap. [Early 1800s]

Economically, at very little cost, as in We're traveling around Europe on the cheap. [Colloquial; mid-1800s]

Extremely inexpensive.

By inexpensive means; cheaply: traveled to Europe on the cheap.

Collapse easily. Expensive luggage was made, as now, from well-constructed leather or fabric. Cheap ones used to be made of cardboard with little or no structural reinforcement, not very sturdy especially when manhandled by baggage handlers or hotel porters. A sports team with no defense or a poker player with a losing hand would both fold like a cheap suitcase. You'd also hear “fold like a cheap suit,” but since fabric folds easily, whether it's cashmere or polyester, “suitcase” presents a better connotation of a losing proposition.