“In dribs and drabs” means in small amounts or a few at a time. It is useful for information, money, work, arrivals, or other things that come gradually in scattered portions rather than all at once.
ReviewedEvidence1 sourceSectionPhrases & Idioms
Quick answer
“In dribs and drabs” means in small amounts or a few at a time.
Key details
Canonical Formin dribs and drabs
Core Meaningin small amounts or a few at a time
Further guidance
History Boundary
This guide publishes the modern dictionary meaning only and leaves origin chronology unclaimed.
Meaning
Use the phrase when something arrives, is released, or happens piecemeal rather than in one complete batch.
Usage Boundary
The phrase describes the pattern or amount of arrival/release; it does not by itself say why the process is slow or fragmented.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
“A dime a dozen” is a chiefly US idiom for something very common, easy to find, and not especially distinctive. The wording can carry a dismissive tone when it suggests that something is readily replaceable.
“A drop in the bucket” describes an amount that is very small compared with what is needed or compared with a much larger whole. Cambridge labels it as the US form and gives “a drop in the ocean” as the UK counterpart.
“A leopard can’t change its spots” is a saying about the persistence of character, especially negative traits. Cambridge also records the “doesn’t change its spots” form. This guide limits the page to present-day form and meaning rather than asserting an unsupported exact origin date.
“A Needle in a Haystack” means something that is extremely difficult or effectively impossible to find because the search area is so large. This guide focuses on the documented modern idiomatic meaning and does not claim an unsupported exact origin date.
“A picture is worth a thousand words” is a proverb about the communicative power of images. This guide explains the modern meaning only and deliberately leaves disputed or chronology-heavy origin claims outside the public page unless stronger historical evidence is reviewed later.
“A slap on the wrist” is an informal idiom for a mild warning or punishment. It is usually figurative and can carry the implication that the consequence was light compared with what was expected or deserved. This guide does not attach an unsupported origin chronology.
“A storm in a teacup” is a British English idiom for excessive fuss or worry about a minor matter. Cambridge identifies “a tempest in a teapot” as the American English counterpart. This guide records that regional form distinction without adding unsupported origin chronology.
