token gesture

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token gesture

A mostly perfunctory or symbolic action that generally is of little importance or consequence. I know that the $200 they gave me at the end of my three-month internship was just a token gesture, but I really needed the money by that point! I've always thought that simply signing your name on a birthday card is little more than a token gesture.
See also: gesture, token
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

token gesture

an action or a decision that is so small or inconsequential as to be only symbolic. Offering to pay for my dinner was only a token gesture. That does little to make up for my inconvenience.
See also: gesture, token
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • come at a price
  • get (one's) fingers burned
  • get fingers burned
  • get your fingers burned
  • get your fingers burnt
  • have (one's) fingers burned
  • burn (one's) fingers
  • burn one's fingers
  • burn your fingers
  • hold (one) to ransom
References in periodicals archive
TOKEN GESTURE: Love is in the air this month, so heighten it with the potent scent of Fresh Cut Roses, from Yankee Candle's room fragrance collection.
He called the Coalition's Direct Action Climate Change policy as a token gesture only from the Abbott government and suggested that funding for the project be used instead on age pension which the coalition government plans to move permanently from 67 to 70.
Declan added: "In the overall scheme of things, this [the run] is a small token gesture to say thank you for everything that they have done for us.
To their credit, three Labour councillors did not accept the rise, but that seems to me to have been a token gesture as in the following years they all accepted the rise, as did councillors of every party.
The shift could be a token gesture, an effort by Apple to avoid becoming the focus of heated political debates.
"An apology is a token gesture but it would go some way to recognising what sacrifices were made."
CHRISTMAS is almost here so the rich, royal, famous and wellmeaning make a token gesture of sleeping rough.
Analysts defined the revised offer as "measly" and not much more than a "token gesture".
When we adopted her we gave a token gesture of pounds 50 or so but it's nothing compared to how much they must have spent on vets' bills, so they really do rely on fundraising."
The 26-year-old dismissed the Italian's decision to name him in the provisional 30-man party as a "token gesture".
"Secondly, we would like to see all operators donating at the equivalent rate of 0.085 per cent of their gross gambling profit or yield, and not, as some are, just making a token gesture.
It is likely that they will now be left wondering whether this was a token gesture and what exactly people need to do to have their voices heard by those in power.
'Short term spending cuts without looking at the bigger picture are little more than a token gesture and there is strong evidence to suggest that reactionary cuts will actually increase costs in the long term as IT struggles to keep up with the business," says Plan-Net.
From a token gesture to something fabulous, there is a gift for every type of departure.