Dictionary definition of “put a nickel in someone”

put a nickel in someone

v. phr. to provoke a person to excitement or talkativeness; to rile or anger someone; to cause someone to act. Also put a quarter in someone and, rarely, put a dime in someone. Subjects: English, Colloquial

Etymological Note: From comparison of a person to a coin-operated machine or toy.

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Citations: 1906 William Vaughn Moody The Great Divide (New York) p. 54: Hello, Lon, is the Missus inside? Lon smokes on, without looking at the questioner. Look here, I put a nickel in you, you blame rusty old slot-machine. Push out something! *1944 Gerard Cook Letters to Virginia p. 203 @ (2003): Well daddy better say good night or you’ll think some one put a nickle in me. 1956 Thomas Collins Hartford Courant (Connecticut) (Nov. 18) “Dreamed Of Retirement But Found Another Job” p. 10E: I had figured all along that I was going to do something with my freedom after retirement. But nobody put a nickel in me to make me dance. 1973 Tom Donnelly Washington Post (Jan. 13) “A Triumph Thank Goodness” p. C1: She has complained about inhumane and unesthetic working conditions (“It’s as if I were a machine and they just put a nickel in me”). 1996 [Humor Impaired] Usenet: rec.org.mensa (Aug. 5) “Re: Apology to Don Ridgway”: I don’t remember putting a nickel in you. But since you’re here, why don’t y’all just eat some of that crap that y’all are so adept at producing? 1997 [Jigsaw6452] Usenet: alt.religion.scientology (June 9) “Re: Free Personality Test”: No, I don’t know who put a quarter in me, and I’m sorry for going on so long, but just had to get this off my chest. Thanks 1998 [Whorella] Usenet: alt.fan.kathy-jo (Feb. 4) “live to survive our paradoxes?”: I’m not so wretched in person. well a little. well only if someone gets me going. like my elementary school teachers used to say “who rattled your cage” or “who put a nickle in you” and shit. 1998 Usenet: alt.drugs.hard (Dec. 23) “Re: I love you”: Geez Desp, who put a nickel in you? Leave it to Desp to give her life story at the drop of a hat. 2000 [HeyShitForBrains] Usenet: chi.general (Jan. 20) “Re: White Privilege over Negroes?”: Who put a dime in you? It doesn’t matter what I say…you are going to say the opposite side and take everything out of context. 2001 Jane Clayson (CBS News) (Aug. 29) “The Early Show”: Somebody put a nickel in him today. 2002 Brian Welch @ University of Texas-Austin (U-Wire) (Feb. 20) “U. Texas-Austin: Majewski’s streak ends at 11 as Texas routs UTSA 20-3”: The guy is like a machine—put a quarter in him, and he gets a base hit. 2004 Linda Ball Spokesman Review (Spokane, Washington) (Sept. 25) “Bob Eagan’s personality brought joy to many”: Bob comes in and said, “Who are you, what are doing here, where’s Linda?” and he just kept bantering me with all these questions, and I turned around and I said, “Who put a nickel in you?” That shut him right up. 2006 [Darla Vladschyk] @ Nova Scotia, Canada Usenet: alt.religion.kibology (Nov. 23) “Good night’s sleep”: It came from the days of the Nickelodeon (very early 20th century) and was retailed to me by my grandmama. People would pop a nickle into the Nickelodeon (player piano) and a frantically energetic and chipper song would play. So, when someone around her (usually me or one of my brothers) was all hopped up on gumdrops or something and talking a mile a minute, she’d say “Who put a nickel in you tonight?!”

Posted 28 Feb 07 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

Dude, when I was a kid 30 years ago, my parents would always ask if someone put a quarter in me when I was overly chatty.

Apparently deflation has hit the language!!

by Cat. 28 Feb 07, 0551 GMT

Similar to what we sailors said in the 60s: “Who pull your string.” Meaning why are you so interruptive and talkative all of a sudden. A reference to the popular toy doll “Chatty Cathy.” A doll who’s voice-box was activated when a frontal string was pulled taut by its plastic ring.

by Arnie 05 Mar 07, 1208 GMT

My comment above should read:

“Who pulled your string?”

That’s “pulled”, past tense.

Not “Who pull your string.” as it was not an ebonical reference. [Not that there’s anything wrong with that.]

by Arnie 06 Mar 07, 0841 GMT

Thanks for the clarity, ANNIE. Maybe nothing wrong,but if it had been meant to be ebonical I think I probabaly would have given a clue such as started the quote thus: “Da, who pull—-” or “Let me ax you, who pull—-” Does your keyboard have smiley-face key. Anyway, it seeem that as things have progrssed on this definition that the tendency to connect it to slot machines is virtually gone and the juke-box, player- piano, telephone connotations, in that order, are holding sway.

by LEROY BRANDT 07 Mar 07, 0354 GMT

Sorry, Arnie, for clarity I meant Arnie not Annie. This ain’t a “gotchya”, I really went through all that and didn’t catch it until after sent.

by LEROY BRANDT 07 Mar 07, 0402 GMT

Yours is a non sequitur in the extreme, Leroy. I made a typo and I was correcting my typo. Maybe you have progrssed (sic), but I owe it to others to clarify. I typed “pull”, when I should have typed “pulled.” So I apologize for your confusion. I maintain that “Who put a nickel in you?” and “Who pulled your string?” are the same, for all intents and purposes.

Which brings me to my last point, to wit.: Who put a nickel in you, Leroy? ... The same person who pulled your string, no doubt. ;-) Cheers.

by Arnie 07 Mar 07, 0413 GMT

I recognized your typo immediately, Arnie. I totally agree with the sameness of idea that “Who pulled your string?” conveys. If you noticed I a couple of typos in my first comment one of which could present the opportunity for anyone who interpreted your typo in error to do the same to someone who says “it seeem that-”. As to who put a nickel in me? Arnie, it was you, because of the iclusion after your apology, that you thought some might think your typo was an ebonical reference. You also, rightly so in my opinion, in essence said that no apolgy was due anyone who had made the assumtion. At this point it’s not a case of “Who put a nickel in—?” or “—pulled my string?”, what the fact is ,you are the answer to “Who pulled your(my) chain?”. As I said I totally agree with the points in your original comment and just saw an opportunity to jabber and, so we have. By the way please point me to the non sequitur in the extreme for I’m pretty sure I don’t know what one is and if I made one in the extreme I might be flattered. If I may, I think the chain thing is a valid addition to the main subject phrases. After wittnessing the above woudn’t you agree. After all, the nickle or string could get you nursery rhymes or some tunes but look what the chain could flush out. Over.

by LEROY BRANDT 07 Mar 07, 1112 GMT