| half a loaf less than what is wanted or is right. I didn't get everything I wanted in my contract but decided to accept half a loaf and not fight it. Usage notes: the full form of this idiom is half a loaf is better than none - getting less than what you wanted is better than getting nothing: The new ferry service operates only on weekends, but half a loaf is better than none. Etymology: based on the idea that it is better to have some bread to eat than none at all |