Meaning of throw a bone to | Babel Free

Definitions

To provide support or assistance to, especially in one particular way or to a limited extent; to make a concession to.

idiomatic

Equivalents

Examples

“There was considerable uneasiness in the bosoms of others of the Directors. […] [T]hey knew that Lord Alfred had sold shares, and had received the profit. […] And if there was so much cause to fear Lord Alfred that it was necessary to throw⟳ him a bone, why should not they also make⟳ themselves feared?”

“The union […] "regretted that the President thought it necessary to throw⟳ a bone to the anti-labor bloc" by saying the act would prevent⟳ strikes.”

“Throwing a bone to the banks, it will allow⟳ a 4% increase⟳ in overseas loans next year.”

“The Dallas Cowboys yesterday gave a starting job to Alexander Wright, in effect throwing him a bone.”

“Can you remind⟳ me what I pay⟳ you people for? Honestly, throw⟳ me a bone here. What do we have⟳?”

“And he did it on the day the Senate threw a bone to President Bush's evangelical base⟳ by voting on a Constitutional amendment declaring that only a union of a man and a woman constitutes marriage.”

CEFR level