a little dab'll do ya

a little dab'll do ya

A small amount of something, especially a paste, cream, ointment, etc., will be enough to serve your purpose. Originally part of an advertising slogan in the 1950s for Brylcreem, a hair styling product for men. Primarily heard in US. This is a very powerful anti-inflammatory cream, so don't use too much—a little dab'll do ya. Now, a little dab'll do ya with this chili paste, as you don't want to overpower the other flavors in the curry.

See also: little, YA

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

a little dab'll do ya

or

a little dab will do you

AMERICAN, INFORMAL

People say a little dab'll do ya or a little dab will do you to mean that a small amount of something is enough. The thing to remember about cooking with shrimp paste is that a little dab will do ya. Note: This expression was originally an advertising slogan for hair cream in the 1960s.

See also: little, YA

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012