small
small [small smalls smaller smallest] adjective, adverb, noun BrE [smɔːl] NAmE [smɔːl]
adjective (small·er, small·est)
NOT LARGE
1. not large in size, number, degree, amount, etc
•a small house/town/car/man
• A much smaller number of students passed than I had expected.
• They're having a relatively small wedding.
•That dress is too small for you.
•‘I don't agree,’ he said in a small (= quiet) voice.
2. (abbr.S)used to describe one size in a range of sizes of clothes, food, products used in the house, etc.
•small, medium, large
• This is too big— have you got a small one?
3. not as big as sth else of the same kind
•the small intestine
YOUNG
4. young
• They have three small children.
• We travelled around a lot when I was small.
•As a small boy he had spent most of his time with his grandparents.
NOT IMPORTANT
5. slight; not important
• I made only a few small changes to the report.
• She noticed several small errors in his work.
•Everything had been planned down to the smallest detail.
•It was no small achievement getting her to agree to the deal.
•Don't worry. It's only a small problem.
BUSINESS
6. usually before noun not doing business on a very large scale
•a small farmer
• The government is planning to give more help to small businesses.
LETTERS
7. usually before noun not written or printed as capitals
• Should I write ‘god’ with a small ‘g’ or a capital?
•She's a socialist with a small ‘s’ (= she has ↑socialist ideas but is not a member of a ↑socialist party).
NOT MUCH
8. only before noun (used with uncountable nouns)little; not much
•The government has small cause for optimism.
•They have small hope of succeeding.
more at a big fish (in a small pond) at ↑big adj., great and small at ↑great adj., the small/early hoursthe wee small hours at ↑hour, a/the still small voice at ↑still adj., don't sweat the small stuff at ↑sweat v., in a big/small way at ↑way n., (it's) no/little/small wonder (that)… at ↑wonder n.
Word Origin:
Old English smæl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch smal and German schmal.
Thesaurus:
small adj.
1.
•That dress is too small for you.
little • • tiny • • miniature • • compact • • minute • • microscopic •
Opp: large, Opp: big
a small/little/tiny/miniature house/town/room
a small/little/tiny/minute/microscopic detail
a small/little/tiny baby/child
Small or little? Small is the most usual opposite of big or large. Little is often used to show how you feel about sb/sth, especially after other adjectives such as ugly, nice or cute.
2. usually before noun
•I've made a few small changes to the report.
slight • • minor • • modest • • minimal • • marginal • |especially spoken little • |especially written negligible • • unimportant •
Opp: big, Opp: major
a small/slight/minor/modest/minimal/marginal/little change/difference/improvement
a small/modest/minimal/negligible amount
a small/slight/minor/little error/mistake/defect/accident/problem
Small or slight? Use either word to talk about changes or problems. Use slight but not small to talk about medical problems, feelings or things that affect the senses; use small but not slight to talk about amounts
•a slight cold/headache/movement/touch
• a small amount/number/quantity, etc.
Example Bank:
•Choose plants that will stay small.
•Employers, large and small, face massive fines.
•My coat was rather small for Bob.
•Technology has made the world smaller.
•The gap seemed to be getting smaller.
•The kite grew smaller and smaller and finally disappeared altogether.
•The phones are getting smaller and smaller.
•Add a small amount of liquid to the mixture.
•Can I ask you a small favour?
•Don't worry. It's only a small problem.
•He has incredibly small handwriting.
•He would try anything to make her even the smallest degree happier.
•She comes from a small town in the Mid-West.
•The T-shirts come in small, medium and large.
•The candidate with the smallest number of votes has to stand down.
•Their apartment's pretty small.
•These shoes are too big. Do you have some in a smaller size?
•They're having a relatively small wedding.
•You can grow a stunning display of flowers even in the smallest garden.
•a slight/small adjustment/alteration/amendment/change/improvement/reduction/rise/variation
•a slight/small mistake/error/defect/flaw/blemish/discrepancy/problem/snag/accident
•a small amount/number/quantity/degree/proportion/minority
Idioms: ↑grateful for small mercies ▪ ↑it's a small world ▪ ↑look small
Derived Word: ↑smallness
adverb (small·er, small·est)
1. into small pieces
•Chop the cabbage up small.
2. in a small size
•You can fit it all in if you write very small.
Word Origin:
Old English smæl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch smal and German schmal.
noun
1. the ~ of the/sb's back singular the lower part of the back where it curves in
•He felt a sharp pain in the small of his back. 
2. smallsplural (old-fashioned, BrE, informal)small items of clothing, especially underwear
Word Origin:
Old English smæl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch smal and German schmal.
|
|
