drop a dime on and rat out

[Jesse T Sheidlower]

>
> In a case I've been working on the writer of a threat message uses the
> expressions, "I don't want to drop a dime on him" and "I don't want to rat
> him out," both of which mean that the writer doesn't want to expose or
> fink on someone else. I haven't been able to find any published resources
> on these expressions, especially about what occupation or group might most
> commonly use them But from my years of experience dealing with criminal
> defense attorneys and prosecutors (as well as the suspects involved), I
> recall them coming up in conversation regularly, leading me to suspect
> that they are common to law enfocement, law breaking, and the
> courtroom. I've informally checked with attorneys and FBI agents and they
> agree. I was rather content with this notion until I read Anna Quindlen's
> column in Newsweek on Jan 17, where she uses them both. But I know her

_Drop a dime_ and related expressions are in volume I of the
RH HDAS, and _rat out_ will be in the III. I don't have it
at hand but I'm sure the first is given a label of "Und." or
"Police and Und." or something like that.

But both expressions I think are reasonably well known outside
the criminal world, or at least well enough known that their
use by a mainstream writer shouldn't occasion too much surprise.

Jesse Sheidlower
Oxford English Dictionary
<jester at panix.com>