dog-cheap

dog-cheap

The market vendor sells the old books dog-cheap.

Definition

Adjective: "dog-cheap" means extremely low in price; very inexpensive to the point of being almost worthless or of minimal cost.

Usage Examples
  • (The furniture was sold for an extremely low cost.)
  • (The vegetables were very cheap due to poor quality.)
Advanced Usage
  • "to sell something dog-cheap": to sell something for a very low price, often implying a bargain or a loss for the seller.
    • The shop had to sell its stock dog-cheap to make room for new items. (The shop sold its goods at a very low price to clear inventory.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Cheap (adj): low in price; not expensive.
    • This shirt is cheap, but it is well-made. (The shirt costs little but is of decent quality.)
  • Dirt-cheap (adj): extremely cheap; synonymous with "dog-cheap."
    • The land was dirt-cheap after the economic downturn. (The land was very inexpensive.)
Synonyms
  • Very cheap: extremely low in cost.
  • Rock-bottom: the lowest possible price.
    • They offered rock-bottom prices on all electronics. (Prices were as low as possible.)
  • Bargain: something bought at a low price.
    • That car was a real bargain. (It was bought for a very low price.)
Related Idioms
  • "a dog-cheap deal": a transaction involving an extremely low price.
    • He got a dog-cheap deal on the old house. (He bought the house for very little money.)
  • "cheap as chips": very inexpensive (British English idiom).
    • These apples are cheap as chips this week. (The apples are very cheap.)
Usage Instructions
  • "Dog-cheap" is an informal, somewhat dated adjective. It is used to emphasize the extreme low cost of something, often with a sense of surprise or disbelief. It is not commonly used in formal writing or speech.