half a loaf is better than none
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.47 in modern English
39
Scrabble Score
25
Letters
3
Syllables
12
Unique Chars
Meaning
proverb
Something is better than nothing: some reward, achievement, result, etc. is preferable to none at all.
Example Sentences
- ""I have the beginnings of genius," he finally decided, "that is, I can see for myself, but I cannot pass the vision on to others by production." "Half a loaf is better than none," said Miss Enistor soothingly."
- ""I'm a business man, and I tell you before you're half through with this fight, you'll come to the conclusion that half a loaf is better than none at all—particularly in the matter of extra large loaves. You'll come to me and compromise.""
- ""There are some people," he said, "who would have you so stand on principle that if you don't get all that you've asked for from the legislature, why you jump off the cliff with the flag flying." Mr. Reagan said that "a half a loaf is better than none" and that unyielding critics had "misread" his tactics."
- "Audience: Green groups Obama's Pitch: Sometimes half a loaf is better than no loaf at all."