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Amounts - Small Number or Amount

Discover how English idioms like "odds and ends" and "needle in a haystack" relate to small numbers or amounts in English.

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English idioms related to Amounts
a drop in the bucket

an amount that is very small in comparison to what is desired or needed to have a significant effect

Ex: The donation was generous, but it was a drop in the bucket compared with what the hospital needed. 
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bits and pieces

jobs or things that are different in type and small either in size, number, or significance

Ex: I spent the afternoon doing bits and pieces around the house. 
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in (dribs|drips) and drabs

used to describe something happening or being available in very small amounts

Ex: Donations came in dribs and drabs for the first few weeks. 
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goose egg
goose egg
[noun]

a score that is equivalent to zero in a match or game

Ex: Our team put up a goose egg in the first quarter. 
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fresh out of {sth}

having finished one's supply of something very recently

Ex: I'm fresh out of coffee, so tea will have to do. 
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to [go] easy (on|with) {sth}

to be careful to consume or use something in moderation

Ex: Go easy on the salt; the soup is already pretty flavorful. 
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jot (and|or) tittle

the small or insignificant details of something

Ex: The lawyer checked every jot and tittle before letting us sign the contract. 
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to [make|put] a dent in {sth}

to lessen the amount of a thing, particularly tasks or money

Ex: We finally made a dent in the backlog after hiring two extra people. 
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needle in a haystack

a person or thing that is really challenging or almost impossible to find

Ex: Finding a parking spot downtown on Friday night is like finding a needle in a haystack. 
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odds and ends

various small things that have no importance or value

Ex: The drawer is full of odds and ends I never use. 
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the smell of an oily rag

the smallest amount of something, particularly fuel or money, that is necessary for surviving or functioning

Ex: That old scooter runs on the smell of an oily rag. 
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thin on the ground

existing or available in very little quantities

Ex: Affordable apartments are thin on the ground in this city. 
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to [be] down to {sb/sth}

to have a limited amount or number of something left

Ex: We're down to our last twenty dollars until payday. 
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for (the|) want of {sth}

due to the absence or lack of a specific thing

Ex: The project failed for want of funding. 
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to [take] a tumble

to experience a sudden setback, failure, or decline

Ex: The company's shares took a tumble after the profit warning. 
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hair's breadth

a distance or amount that is very small or inconsiderable

Ex: The car missed the cyclist by a hair's breadth. 
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(as|) scarce as hens' teeth

not easy to find or restricted in quantity

Ex: Affordable childcare is scarce as hens' teeth in this area. 
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in small doses

in limited or small quantities, typically referring to something that should be experienced or consumed in moderation

Ex: That comedian is hilarious, but best enjoyed in small doses. 
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