   Piddlin’ AmountA "piddlin’ amount" (sometimes written "piddling amount") means a tiny or trifling sum - so small it hardly counts. Common in Appalachian and Southern speech, it carries a dismissive tone, suggesting something isn’t worth the bother. #SouthernSayings #Appalachia #Measurements #DialectandGrammar #Southern Hillbilly Dude Says...  If somebody gives you a quarter of a cookie, that's a 'piddlin’ amount.' You'll still eat it, of course. Hillbilly Dude Says... If somebody gives you a quarter of a cookie, that's a 'piddlin’ amount.' You'll still eat it, of course. Pronunciation[PID-lin uh-MOUNT] Meaning & Usage- A very small or insignificant amount (phrase)
Mae:
They only give him twenty dollars?
Earl:
Yep - just a piddlin’ amount.- Something hardly worth effort (phrase)
Mae:
Why don’t you go after that scrap metal?
Earl:
Not for that piddlin’ amount they’re payin’.variations: small potatoes, triflin’ amount, next to nothin’, hardly worth mentionin’, a drop in the bucket, chicken feed, measly amount ★ A "piddlin’ amount" isn’t just small - it’s small *and not worth it.* The phrase carries a sense of scorn or dismissal. ★ Origin and EtymologyFrom "piddlin’," meaning trifling or insignificant. The phrase "piddlin’ amount" became a natural extension in Southern and Appalachian talk to describe meager pay or resources. Usage NotesStill common in Appalachian and Southern speech. Outsiders may understand it in context, but the phrase has the strongest roots in rural dialect. Say It Like a SouthernerSaid plain: "pid-lin amount." Quick and clipped, often with a shake of the head. | ...
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