"Half a loaf is better than none"

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 3 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Proverb: "Half a loaf is better than none."

• "Loaf" is the standard counting word for bread.

Meaning: If you can't get everything you want, it's better to get something rather than nothing. Be happy with what you get.

• The "thing" you get doesn't have to be exactly half of what you wanted; getting a small raise at work instead of a big raise is still better than getting no raise!

Mini-Dialogue: Charlotte sees her friend Doug, and he looks unhappy.

Charlotte: Hey, Doug. Why so blue?
Doug: Well, I was hoping for full scholarship to university, but I just found out they only gave me 60%.
Charlotte: That's too bad. But hey, cheer up! "Half a loaf is better than none."
Doug: Yeah, I guess...

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QUESTION:

1. In which situation would you use the proverb, "Half a loaf is better than none"? The correct answer is in the first comment below.
   A. You asked for a bicycle for Christmas; your sister got one, but you didn't.
   B. You asked for a loan of $1,000 at the bank, but they only approved $750.
   C. You tried to turn on your computer to do some homework, but it wouldn't start.