throw (someone) a bone
phrase
informal
: to offer (someone) something that is not very important or valuable especially to stop complaints or protests
The boss would not let his workers out early for the holiday but threw them a bone by buying lunch.
Cite this Entry
“Throw (someone) a bone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throw%20%28someone%29%20a%20bone. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
