152 Dribs and drabs

152 Dribs and drabs

(PW) little by little, small quantities

She told us the story in dribs and drabs.

 

(free) dribs and drabs pl n

small sporadic amounts

 

(usingEnglish)

If people arrive in dribs and drabs, they come in small groups at irregular intervals, instead of all arriving at the same time.

 

(dictionary) noun , small and usually irregular amounts

 He repaid the loan in dribs and drabs.

 

(your)

Bits and pieces, negligible amounts, as in There's not much left, just some dribs and drabs of samples. The noun drib is thought to be a shortening of driblet, for “drop” or “tiny quantity,” dating from the early 1700s, whereas drab meaning “a small sum of money” dates from the early 1800s.