v. phr. , informal To make less by a very small amount; reduce slightly. Usually used in the negative or with such qualifying words as "hardly" or "barely". John shoveled and shoveled, but he didn't seem to make a dent in the pile of sand. Mary studied all afternoon and only made a dent in her homework.
MAKE A DENT IN
Meaning of MAKE A DENT IN in English
American idioms English vocabulary. Английский словарь американских идиом. 2012