thimbleful

[ thim-buhl-fool ]

noun

, plural thim·ble·fuls.

1. the amount that a thimble will hold.
2. a small quantity, especially of liquid.

thimbleful

/ ˈθɪmbəlˌfʊl /

noun

1. a very small amount, esp of a liquid

Spelling Note

See -ful.

Word History and Origins

Origin of thimbleful¹

First recorded in 1600–10; thimble + -ful

Example Sentences

Imagine, for example, dropping a thimbleful of red dye into a swimming pool.

From Nautilus

Even more important, I got in my thimbleful of quality time with the man himself.

From The Daily Beast

The members of the crew had hardly swallowed their thimbleful of some home-made liqueur, when the rumble of a carriage was heard.

From Project Gutenberg

To York fair he must, he would go, if condemned to a bean and a thimbleful of water for fasting dinner ever after.

From Project Gutenberg

They dined on dry biscuit and another thimbleful of water apiece and took watch by amiable agreement.

From Project Gutenberg

He poured the thimbleful and handed it over quickly, and when Perroquet had tossed it off he filled again and again.

From Project Gutenberg

The lunatic poured out a thimbleful for himself and filled Gaudissart's glass.

From Project Gutenberg