skeleton crew

idiom

A crew consisting of the minimum number of personnel needed to maintain and operate the basic functions of something, such as a business, a factory, or a ship.

Anchors to

crew
skeleton

Related idioms4entries

01
skeleton
Clipping of skeleton in the closet (“a shameful secret”).
02
skeleton at the feast
One whose presence brings gloom to a joyous occasion.
03
skeleton in the closet
A shameful secret.
04
skeleton in the cupboard
A shameful secret.