a little of something goes a long way
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
A small amount can be very effective or have a big impact.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Một lượng nhỏ có thể rất hiệu quả hoặc có tác động lớn
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Literally: a small quantity of something lasts a long distance
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “a little of something goes a long way” mean?
A small amount can be very effective or have a big impact. Literally: a small quantity of something lasts a long distance
Is “a little of something goes a long way” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.