not one red cent

not one red cent

Not even a tiny or the smallest amount of money. Primarily heard in US. I worked all of that overtime and what did I get for my efforts? Not one red cent! It's unbelievable that this so-called charity operated for so long and gave not one red cent where it was supposed to be given.
See also: cent, not, one, red
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

not one red cent

or

not a red cent

mainly AMERICAN
If you say not one red cent or not a red cent, you mean no money at all. The bank made £12,480 of interest using the couple's money. The couple, of course, received not one red cent! But investors have to remember that with many shows they won't get a red cent back. Note: This expression is often used in a disapproving way. Note: The American one-cent coin used to be made from copper, but is now made from a mixture of copper, tin and zinc.
See also: cent, not, one, red
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • not a jot
  • be not much cop
  • iota
  • not an iota
  • not for a second
  • not for a minute
  • not for a moment
  • aint
  • ain't
  • not for a/one minute/moment/second/instant
References in periodicals archive
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"Dead as a doornail," "not one red cent," "the cat is out of the bag." We use colorful expressions like these every day; but where do they actually come from?
RED CENTS AND WHITE ELEPHANTS
Maybe that's why there was not one red cent in Paul Martin's budget to relieve the misery of the poorest of the poor.
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Not one red cent of that went to the minority business community.
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