Not worth a hill of beans

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Meaning

Practically worthless, amounting to little.

Origin

From 19th-century America, tied to beans; lowly food, cheap as dirt; slang by 1860s for junk. A 1863 'New York Times' uses it for a failed crop.

Variants

  • Hill of beans
  • Not worth beans

Usage Examples

  • That old car's not worth a hill of beans.
  • His excuse isn't worth a hill of beans to me.
  • This plan's not worth a hill of beans; scrap it.

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