small

[ smawl ]

/ smɔl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR small ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, small·er, small·est.

of limited size; of comparatively restricted dimensions; not big; little: a small box.

slender, thin, or narrow: a small waist.

not large as compared with others of the same kind: a small elephant.

(of letters) lowercase(def 1).

not great in amount, degree, extent, duration, value, etc.: a small salary.

not great numerically: a small army.

of low numerical value; denoted by a low number.

having but little land, capital, power, influence, etc., or carrying on business or some activity on a limited scale: a small enterprise.

of minor importance, moment, weight, or consequence: a small problem.

humble, modest, or unpretentious: small circumstances.

characterized by or indicative of littleness of mind or character; mean-spirited; petty: a small, miserly man.

of little strength or force: a small effort.

(of sound or the voice) gentle; with little volume.

very young: when I was a small boy.

diluted; weak.

adverb, small·er, small·est.

in a small manner: They talked big but lived small.

into small pieces: Slice the cake small.

in low tones; softly.

noun

something that is small: Do you prefer the small or the large?

a small or narrow part, as of the back.

those who are small: Democracy benefits the great and the small.

smalls, small goods or products.

smalls, British.

underclothes.
household linen, as napkins, pillowcases, etc.

smalls, British Informal. the responsions at Oxford University.

smalls, Mining. coal, ore, gangue, etc., in fine particles.

Idioms for small

feel small, to be ashamed or mortified: Her unselfishness made me feel small.

Origin of small

before 900; Middle English smale (adj., noun, and adv.), Old English smæl; cognate with Dutch smal, German schmal

SYNONYMS FOR small

1 tiny. See little.

2 slight.

1, 3, 5 Smaller, less indicate a diminution, or not so large a size or quantity in some respect. Smaller, as applied to concrete objects, is used with reference to size: smaller apples. Less is used of material in bulk, with reference to amount, and in cases where attributes such as value and degree are in question: A nickel is less than a dime (in value). A sergeant is less than a lieutenant (in rank). As an abstraction, amount may be either smaller or less, though smaller is usually used when the idea of size is suggested: a smaller opportunity. Less is used when the idea of quantity is present: less courage.

9 trifling, petty, unimportant, minor, secondary, nugatory, inconsequential, paltry, insignificant.

11 small-minded, narrow-minded, mean, selfish, narrow.

12 feeble.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR small ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR small

1 large, big.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR small ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM small

small·ness, noun ul·tra·small, adjective

Words nearby small

smackdown, smacker, smackeroo, smackhead, smacking, small, small advertisement, small arm, small arms, small beer, small business administration

Example sentences from the Web for smallest

“There was still no pulse, not even the smallest bit,” Johnson says.

'Please Don't Die!': The Frantic Battle to Save Murdered Cops |Michael Daly |December 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It seeps up into the city from below, through even the smallest cracks and drains.

The Fiery Underground Oil Pit Eating L.A. |Geoff Manaugh |December 6, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Because the fact of the matter is the Today show part is really, in a way, the smallest part in the great 34-hour scheme of it.

Al Roker, Sleepless in 30 Rock for #Rokerthon |Lloyd Grove |November 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The concentration of PM2.5, the smallest particulate matter, is at 153 micrograms per cubic meter.

Beijing’s ‘Star Trek’ APEC Summit |Jake Adelstein |November 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

He won then with less than 38 percent of the vote, the smallest plurality of any winning gubernatorial candidate in the country.

Republican Wave Carries Maine Governor Paul LePage to Victory |Ben Jacobs |November 5, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
I shall take my own course now; without the smallest consideration for your crotchets.

Perlycross |R. D. Blackmore
So he convoyed them safely into port and would not take even the smallest present, in recompense for his services.

Famous Privateersmen and Adventurers of the Sea |Charles H. L. Johnston
Search it as they pleased, not even the practisect eye of Captain Davis could descry the smallest interruption.

The Ebb-Tide |Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyde Osbourne
This is both the smallest and greatest breadth of India.324 The length is reckoned from west to east.

The Geography of Strabo, Volume III (of 3) |Strabo
I dare say no such accident could happen to any one else, but if I leave the smallest thing to chance I am sure to come to grief.

Spring Days |George Moore

British Dictionary definitions for smallest

small

/ (smɔːl) /

adjective

comparatively little; limited in size, number, importance, etc

of little importance or on a minor scale a small business

lacking in moral or mental breadth or depth a small mind

modest or humble small beginnings

of low or inferior status, esp socially

(of a child or animal) young; not mature

unimportant, trivial a small matter

not outstanding a small actor

of, relating to, or designating the ordinary modern minuscule letter used in printing and cursive writing Compare capital 1 (def. 13) See also lower case

lacking great strength or force a small effort

in fine particles small gravel

obsolete (of beer, etc) of low alcoholic strength

adverb

into small pieces you have to cut it small

in a small or soft manner

feel small to be humiliated or inferior

noun

the small an object, person, or group considered to be small do you want the small or the large?

a small slender part, esp of the back

(plural) informal, mainly British items of personal laundry, such as underwear

Derived forms of small

smallish, adjective smallness, noun

Word Origin for small

Old English smæl; related to Old High German smal, Old Norse smali small cattle

Idioms and Phrases with smallest

small

In addition to the idioms beginning with small

small beer
small cog in a large wheel
small frog in a big pond
small fry
small hours
small print
small talk
small time
small wonder

also see:

big fish in a small pond
(small) cog in the wheel
give thanks for small blessings
it's a small world
little (small) frog in a big pond
make a (small) fortune
no (small) wonder
still small voice

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

small

adjective, small·er, small·est.

adverb, small·er, small·est.

noun

Idioms for small

Origin of small

SYNONYMS FOR small

ANTONYMS FOR small

OTHER WORDS FROM small

Words nearby small

Example sentences from the Web for smallest

British Dictionary definitions for smallest

adjective

adverb

noun

Derived forms of small

Word Origin for small

Idioms and Phrases with smallest

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

small

adjective, small·er, small·est.

adverb, small·er, small·est.

noun

Idioms for small

Origin of small

SYNONYMS FOR small

ANTONYMS FOR small

OTHER WORDS FROM small

Words nearby small

Words related to smallest

Example sentences from the Web for smallest

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for smallest

adjective

adverb

noun

Derived forms of small

Word Origin for small

Idioms and Phrases with smallest

British Dictionary definitions for smallest