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Antonyms for small


Grammar : Adj
Spell : smawl
Phonetic Transcription : smɔl



Definition of small

Origin :
  • Old English smæl "thin, slender, narrow; fine," from Proto-Germanic *smal- "small animal; small" (cf. Old Saxon, Danish, Swedish, Middle Dutch, Dutch, Old High German smal, Old Frisian smel, German schmal "narrow, slender," Gothic smalista "smallest," Old Norse smali "small cattle, sheep"), perhaps from a PIE root *(s)melo- "smaller animal" (cf. Greek melon, Old Irish mil "a small animal;" Old Church Slavonic malu "bad"). Original sense of "narrow" now almost obsolete, except in reference to waistline and intestines.
  • My sister ... is as white as a lilly, and as small as a wand. [Shakespeare, "Two Gentlemen of Verona," 1591]
  • Sense of "not large, of little size" developed in Old English. Of children, "young," from mid-13c. Meaning "inferior in degree or amount" is from late 13c. Meaning "trivial, unimportant" is from mid-14c. Sense of "having little property or trade" is from 1746. That of "characterized by littleness of mind or spirit, base, low, mean" is from 1824. As an adverb by late 14c.
  • Small fry, first recorded 1690s of little fish, 1885 of insignificant people. Small potatoes "no great matter" first attested 1924; small change "something of little value" is from 1902; small talk "chit-chat, trifling conversation" (1751) first recorded in Chesterfield's "Letters." Small world as a comment upon an unexpected meeting of acquaintances is recorded from 1895. Small-arms, indicating those capable of being carried in the hand (contrasted to ordnance) is recorded from 1710.
  • adj tiny in size, quantity
  • adj unimportant
  • adj narrow-minded, nasty
Example sentences :
  • She's one of the build that aren't so big as they look, nor yet so small as they look.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • Obulus, (plural Oboli)—A small coin, about the value of a penny.
  • Extract from : « Philothea » by Lydia Maria Child
  • So small was it that to have gone a few feet to either side would have been to miss it.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • He caught but two fish, and they were so small that he decided not to offer them for sale.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • Over the seat is a mirror cut into small squares by wooden muntins.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • Why, we wasted enough from breakfast to feed a small family.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • They're really one and a half sizes too small, and almost kill me.
  • Extract from : « Punchinello, Vol. 1. No. 20, August 13, 1870 » by Various
  • Marked a small tree with the letter F. close to the waterhole.
  • Extract from : « Explorations in Australia » by John Forrest
  • Bivouacked on North-West side of hill, at a small water-hole.
  • Extract from : « Explorations in Australia » by John Forrest
  • We camped in a thicket, without water, on a small patch of feed.
  • Extract from : « Explorations in Australia » by John Forrest

Synonyms for small

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