row of pins
An insignificant thing, a whit.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“That old broken chair does not matter a row of pins to me.”
“Your opinion on my new shoes does not matter a row of pins.”
“He argued about the minor spelling error, but it did not matter a row of pins to the final result.”
“The color of the curtains does not matter a row of pins as long as the house stays warm during the winter.”
“Whether we arrive five minutes early or late does not matter a row of pins because the party will last all night.”
“In the grand scheme of the company's financial collapse, the loss of a few office supplies mattered not a row of pins to the shareholders.”
The expression arises from the disposable rows of pins used in nineteenth-century sewing. Before the advent of modern manufacturing, dressmaking pins were sold in paper strips, an arrangement that rendered the individual components both ubiquitous and essentially worthless. The phrase persists as a measure of insignificance, equating the value of an object or a person's opinion to that of a single, mass-produced fastener.
- 01
camp as a row of tents
Very camp, highly campy.
- 02
for two pins
Readily, with only the slightest encouragement.
- 03
get in the boat and row
To make a substantial effort, especially in cooperation with others in a group; also, to perform one's share of work.
- 04
have one's ducks in a row
To be organized; to have one's affairs in order; specifically, to have a multiperson effort coordinated towards the exact same goal.
- 05
have one's ears pinned back
To be strongly scolded, reprimanded or admonished.
- 06
hoe one's row
To do one's share of a job.
- 07
long row to hoe
A difficult, arduous task or set of tasks; a lengthy, demanding project.
- 08
murderers' row
A team with an exceptionally talented group of players, or that group of players.
Last updated August 10, 2026