Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
throw a sprat to catch a mackerel en · VERB
Pronunciation
Meanings
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(UK, idiomatic) To sacrifice something of little value in the hope of gaining something better.
It is pertinent to remember that in 1892, the M.S.W.J.R. had secured from the L.S.W.R. running powers between Andover and Southampton Dock, so no doubt the "Solent Scheme" should properly be regarded as a sprat set (successfully) to catch a mackerel.
1948 November and December, “Notes and News: Southampton and the M.S.W.J.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 410:
Forms