# a little from column A, a little from column B

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/a-little-from-column-a-a-little-from-column-b
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A combination of two factors or reasons.

## Origin

The phrase originates from the structure of American Chinese restaurant menus during the mid-twentieth century. These menus typically organised combination entrees into a table with sections labelled Column A and Column B. The customer was instructed to select one item from each section, commonly phrased as Choose one from Column A and one from Column B. The idiom retains this binary structure to describe a situation involving two distinct options or causes.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.