Definition

Noun: 1. A five-dollar bill: A piece of U.S. paper currency with a value of five dollars. This is the primary and most common meaning. 2. A quantity of drugs worth five dollars: In specific slang contexts, particularly in mid-20th century American drug culture, it refers to a small quantity of an illegal drug, such as heroin or marijuana, that is sold for five dollars.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Currency):
  • I don't have any small bills, just a nickel note.
  • The vending machine only accepts coins or a nickel note.
• Noun (Slang/Drugs):
  • The undercover cop was trying to buy a nickel note. (This usage is dated and highly context-specific.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is largely historical or regional. The slang usage for drugs is archaic and would rarely be encountered in modern, everyday English outside of historical fiction or discussions of past drug culture.
• When referring to currency, "nickel note" is less common than simply saying "five-dollar bill" or "a five."

Variants and Related Words

• Fiver (n, informal): A common informal term for a five-pound note (UK) or a five-dollar bill (US).
• Five-spot (n, slang): Another slang term for a five-dollar bill.
• Nickel bag (n, slang): A small bag of drugs sold for five dollars. This is a related compound term from the same slang lexicon.

Synonyms

• Five-dollar bill: The standard term.
• Five: Informal short form (e.g., "Can you break a five?").

Notes on Meaning

It is critical to distinguish between the standard financial meaning (a $5 bill) and the obsolete, context-bound slang meaning (a $5 quantity of drugs). The latter should only be recognized for comprehension of older texts or very specific dialogues and is not used in general conversation. The primary definition is always the currency.

Noun

1. five dollars worth of a drug
   • a nickel bag of drugs
   • a nickel deck of heroin