crumbs from someone's table

crumbs from (one's) table

An insufficient or unfair amount of something provided by one when one has a sufficient or abundant amount. I know he can afford to pay me more, so I refuse to accept crumbs from his table. This settlement offer is just crumbs from the CEO's table so we'll shut up and go away! The union is not going to take crumbs from management's table this time around, so you guys better come negotiate with competitive terms.

See also: crumb, table

crumbs from the rich man's table

An insufficient or unfair amount of something provided by one who has an abundance. I know he can afford to pay me more, so I refuse to accept crumbs from the rich man's table This settlement offer is just crumbs from the rich man's table so we'll shut up and go away! The union is not going to take crumbs from the rich man's table this time around, so management better come negotiate with competitive terms.

See also: crumb, rich, table

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

crumbs from someone's (or a rich man's) table

an unfair and inadequate or unsatisfactory share of something.

Luke 16:21 describes the beggar Lazarus as ‘desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table’.

See also: crumb, table

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017