A drop in the bucket

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Meaning

A tiny part of a big whole, barely a dent.

Origin

From the Bible, Isaiah 40: 15 (circa 700 BCE), 'nations are as a drop of a bucket,' English by 1380s in a Wycliffe text for smallness. A 1590s play twists it to daily use.

Variants

  • In the bucket

Usage Examples

  • That donation's a drop in the bucket; needs more.
  • A drop in the bucket-won't fix the debt.
  • Drop in the bucket; just a start.

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