thimbleful

American  

[thim-buhl-fool] / ˈθɪm bəlˌfʊl /

noun

plural

thimblefuls

1. the amount that a thimble will hold.

2. a small quantity, especially of liquid.

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thimbleful British  

/ ˈθɪmbəlˌfʊl /

noun

1. a very small amount, esp of a liquid

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Spelling

See -ful.

Etymology

Origin of thimbleful

First recorded in 1600–10; thimble + -ful

Example Sentences

Microbiologists began by isolating the microbial DNA in a thimbleful of soil to see what genes and species were in the sample.

From Science Magazine • Jul. 12, 2021

Yes, there are people whose skills in planning combine with their access to resources and they manage waste down to a monthly thimbleful.

From The Guardian • Aug. 19, 2019

These 10 wines represent a mere thimbleful of the rosés produced in the United States each year.

From New York Times • Jul. 5, 2018

Praising him for granting passage to these girls is like giving someone a round of applause for draining the ocean and then pouring in a thimbleful of water.

From Slate • Jul. 13, 2017

I asked, because I didn’t trust him with a thimbleful of water, let alone the truth.

From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan