# throw a bone to

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/throw-a-bone-to
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

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

## Examples

- The boss threw me a bone by giving me an extra day.
- He throws his younger brother a bone by letting him win the card game.
- The store throws customers a bone by offering a small discount on old items.
- The teacher knew the test was hard, so she threw the students a bone by removing the most difficult question.
- The landlord refused to lower the rent, but he threw the tenants a bone by finally fixing the broken heater in the hallway.
- After rejecting all my creative ideas, the director threw me a bone by letting me choose the music for the final scene.
- Although the committee refused to approve the entire proposal, they threw the activists a bone by agreeing to fund a small portion of the project.

## Origin

The expression derives from the practice of offering a bone to a hungry dog as a source of nourishment. It alludes to the act of providing a small or peripheral concession to satisfy a demanding party, much as one might distract a canine with a scrap of food.

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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.