Quote
1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.
“Yeah, I’d do a music project with Ryan. I’d throw him a bone. I know he needs the work.”
- Mandy Moore joking about working with her new husband, Ryan Adams. (Entertainment Weekly)
Definition
1. Definition - Study the definition.
give someone a small reward or compliment
2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.
When you throw a dog a bone, it makes that dog very happy. But it probably isn’t a big deal for you. If you hadn’t given the bone to the dog, you probably would’ve just thrown it in the trash.
Similarly, the expression give someone a bone means do someone a small favor or give him or her a little reward. The reward might not be very big or special, especially to the person who gives it. But it can be really important to the person who receives it.
So why would Mandy Moore have to throw a bone to her husband, the singer Ryan Adams? Adams is already a successful, famous musician. But Mandy makes fun of him by saying that he needs work. She says she’d be willing to throw him a bone by working with him on a music project.
Hmmm…does that mean Mandy thinks her husband is a dog?
Examples
1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.
“Don’t throw Ryan a bone, or he’ll think you like him.”
“Could someone please throw me a bone? I could really use some help.”
“Let’s invite Haley to the party. That poor girl needs someone to throw her a bone.”