ENGLISH
REFERENCE

lion's share

idiom
Meaning

The majority; a large or generous portion.


Origin

disputed origin

From Aesop’s fable The Lion's Share, in which a lion claims the full amount of the spoil after hunting with a number of other beasts. In one version of the fable, the lion claims three-quarters of the kill rather than the whole, leaving the three other animals to fight over the remainder.

Examples
SIMPLE

He took the lion's share of the cake.

CONTEXTUAL

The marketing department received the lion's share of the company budget this year.

COMPLEX

Although the partners worked equally, the senior director claimed the lion's share of the credit for the successful project.

Anchors to
Related idioms3entries
  1. 01

    fair share

    A significant amount, often implied to be excessive or inordinate; a great deal of something.

  2. 02

    lion's den

    Any dangerous or frightening place.

  3. 03

    share and share alike

    For members of a group, equal portions of or equal access to tangible or intangible goods, entitlements, or obligations—i.e., each person's share like each of the other shares. Often used in a context of reciprocity, or pooling resources.

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