big dealˌbig ˈdeal noun [singular] spoken 
It’s just a game. If you lose, big deal. What’s the big deal? It’s only a birthday, not the end of the world. It’s no big deal. Everybody forgets things sometimes.2an important or exciting event or situation: This audition is a big deal for Joey.3make a big deal of/out of/about something to get too excited or upset about something, or make something seem more important than it is: I know I’m probably making a big deal out of nothing, but I’m worried about you.
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- He is a tremendous big deal now!
- I had to adjust to not being the big deal.
- If I had twisted my ankle, would people be making such a big deal of it?
- That may not seem like a big deal, but for me it was a triumph.
- The fact is, it is a big deal.
- Those of an unkind disposition might argue that mangling a non-first-class attack is not an especially big deal.
Longman Language Activatorwhat you say when something is not important
spoken say this to tell someone that something is not important and will not cause any serious problems: · "We've missed the train." "It doesn't matter - there's another one in 10 minutes."it doesn't matter if/whether/what etc: · It doesn't matter if you're a few minutes late. We'll wait for you.· It doesn't matter what other people think. You should do what you think is best.
say this when you think something is not important enough to affect what happens or change what someone decides: · "Do you want cash or a cheque?" "It doesn't make any difference."· Even if she had known he was lying it would have made no difference.· It doesn't make any difference whether you use fresh berries or frozen ones.it makes no difference/it doesn't make any difference to somebody: · It makes no difference to me if you want to go.it makes no difference/it doesn't make any difference to something: · You can have a single room or a double -- it makes no difference to the price.
spoken say this when you do not think something is important or worrying, even though other people may think it is: · My leg's a little sore, but it's no big deal.· Just copy your work onto a disk - it's no big deal.· She assumed he'd be furious, but the whole incident just wasn't a big deal to him.
spoken say this when you think something is not important and you do not want other people to worry about it: · "Are you okay?" "Yeah, it's nothing."· "Why do you want to speak to Danny? Is he in trouble again?" "No, it's nothing, really. We just want to ask a couple of questions."
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY What’s the big deal? It’s only a birthday, not the end of the world. It’s no big deal. Everybody forgets things sometimes.
What’s the big deal? It’s only a birthday, not the end of the world. It’s no big deal. Everybody forgets things sometimes.PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1used to say that you do not think something is as important as someone else thinks it is: - But Vassar taught me that I could do whatever I wanted to do without making a big deal out of it.
It’s just a game. If you lose, big deal. What’s the big deal? It’s only a birthday, not the end of the world. It’s no big deal. Everybody forgets things sometimes.2an important or exciting event or situation: This audition is a big deal for Joey.3make a big deal of/out of/about something to get too excited or upset about something, or make something seem more important than it is: I know I’m probably making a big deal out of nothing, but I’m worried about you.