throw (one) a bone
To attempt to appease or placate someone by giving them something trivial or of minor importance or by doing some small favor for them. (A reference to giving a dog a bone or scrap from a bigger portion of food.) My younger brother is always pleading for me to help out his career, so I threw him a bone and got him a small gig.
throw (someone) a bone
To provide (someone) with a usually small part of what has been requested, especially in an attempt to placate or mollify.