One of my beloved grandmothers used to say that she gave things she didn't really want to do "a lick and a promise".  It's a racy little saying, when you think about it.  It's one of those phrases that almost loses its original meaning, because it comes so solidly to mean something else.  We had a lot of phrases like that in the Ozarks!  Please e-mail me at:  pjones41@kc.rr.com, and come join me on facebook, too.  Farmville, anyone?