The original meaning of drop a dime is to secretly report a lawbreaker to the police, to snitch on a fellow criminal, to anonymously betray a criminal partner. ... The idiom drop a dime conjures the image of someone putting a dime in a payphone to call the police and betray or “rat out” a criminal.

Why is a 3 point shot called a dime?

The term "dropping dimes" in basketball refers to an "assist". A player does a lot of hard work, drawing multiple defenders to himself/herself, then passes the ball unselfishly to a teammate for an easy score. The passer is credited with an "assist" for this effort.

Is drop of a dime a saying?

Idiom: 'At a drop of a dime'

Meaning: If someone will do something at the drop of a dime, they will do it instantly, without hesitation.