half a loaf is better than none

alternative half a loaf is better than no bread · alternative half a loaf is better than no loaf

1. Something is better than nothing: some reward, achievement, result, etc. is preferable to none at all.

   Audience: Green groups Obama's Pitch: Sometimes half a loaf is better than no loaf at all.

   2010 June 17, Michael Scherer, “The President's Spill Speech: The Target Audiences”, in Time, retrieved 06 Mar 2014

   3 more examples

   "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.

   1912, Fergus Hume, chapter 1, in A Son of Perdition

   "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."

   1914, Peter B. Kyne, chapter 16, in The Long Chance

   "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.

   1983 February 10, Francis X. Clines, “Reagan's wish is no minimum wage for youths”, in New York Times, retrieved 06 Mar 2014

   Synonyms: something is better than nothing, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, beggars can't be choosers, don't look a gift horse in the mouth