cheap

cheap1 [ tʃip ] adjective ***

▸ 1 not expensive

▸ 2 not of good quality

▸ 3 against spending money

▸ 4 unkind/unfair

▸ 5 without value

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) not expensive:

People should have access to cheap, fresh food.

The local buses are cheap and reliable.

a cheap and plentiful source of energy

The machine is relatively cheap to build but expensive to maintain.

a ) used about something that is lower in price than usual or than you expected:

Silver is very cheap in Mexico.

2. ) not expensive and not of good quality:

People were drinking cheap wine from plastic cups.

He was always buying her cheap jewelry.

a cheap imitation: Always ask for our products by name beware of cheap imitations!

3. ) not happy about spending money even on necessary things:

She's so cheap she wouldn't even buy her own mother a birthday card.

4. ) a cheap action or remark is unfair or unkind and does not deserve respect:

I'm not interested in scoring cheap points in this debate.

a cheap joke/jibe: Senator Wilson should be dealing with the problem, not making cheap jibes.

a cheap trick: He said he realized it had been a cheap trick and he was sorry.

5. ) not considered important or valuable:

It happened during the war when life was cheap.

cheap at half the price BRITISH INFORMAL

used for emphasizing that something is good value and not considered expensive

cheap at the price BRITISH

used for emphasizing that something is worth more than it costs:

He'd spent $75,000 but said his victory was cheap at the price.

on the cheap INFORMAL

1. ) if you buy something on the cheap you do not pay the usual price:

It's a great opportunity to pick up a car on the cheap.

2. ) if you do something on the cheap you spend less money and get a product or service that is not of the best quality

╾ cheap|ly adverb

╾ cheap|ness noun uncount

=> TALK 2

cheap

cheap 2 [ tʃip ] adverb

at a low price:

I can't believe I managed to get it so cheap.

dirt cheap INFORMAL (=at a very low price): I got this bike dirt cheap at a garage sale.

a. going cheap INFORMAL being sold for a lower price than is usual:

They've got a bunch of furniture going cheap.

b. not come cheap to cost or charge a lot:

He doesn't come cheap, but he gets the job done on time.