small

adjective

OPAL S

/smɔːl/

(comparative smaller, superlative smallest)

Idioms

jump to other results

not large

not large in size, number, degree, amount, etc.

a small town/village/community
A much smaller number of students passed than I had expected.
a small amount/percentage/sample
a small group/minority
Because of the small size of the sample, findings cannot be generalized.
They're having a relatively small wedding.
small for somebody/something That dress is too small for you.
The cheeses are produced locally and only on a small scale.
a small part/piece/portion
a small area/country/island
a small house/room/car
small animals
a small man
The world seems so small now.
With just under 600 residents, it was small for a city.
‘I don't agree,’ he said in a small (= quiet) voice.

Extra Examples

Choose plants that will stay small.
My coat was rather small for Bob.
Technology has made the world smaller.
The kite grew smaller and smaller and finally disappeared altogether.
Add a small amount of liquid to the mixture.
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 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?
You can grow a stunning display of flowers even in the smallest garden.
The house would be small for a family of your size.
The text files are comparatively small in size.
He is small for his age.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs

be
feel
look
…

adverb

extremely
fairly
very
…

preposition

phrases

big and small
large and small
smaller and smaller
…

See full entry

(abbreviation S)

used to describe one size in a range of sizes of clothes, food, products used in the house, etc.

The T-shirts come in small, medium and large.
This is too big—have you got a small one?

not as big as something else of the same kind

the small intestine

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

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.
Can I ask you a small favour?

business

[usually before noun] not doing business on a very large scale

small companies/firms
The government is planning to give more help to small businesses.
a small farmer
small investors
Employers, large and small, face massive fines.

letters

[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

[only before noun] (used with uncountable nouns) little; not much

The government has small cause for optimism.
They have small hope of succeeding.

Word OriginOld English smæl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch smal and German schmal.

Idioms

be grateful/thankful for small mercies

to be happy that a situation that is bad is not as bad as it could have been
- Well, at least you weren't hurt. I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies.

a big fish (in a small pond)

an important person (in a small community)

don’t sweat the small stuff

(North American English, informal) used to tell somebody not to worry about small details or things that are not important

great and small

of all sizes or types
- all creatures great and small

in a big/small way

on a large/small scale
- The new delivery service has taken off in a big way.
- Many people are investing in a small way in the stock market.
- He then started spending money in a big way.

it’s a small world

(saying) used to express your surprise when you meet somebody you know in an unexpected place, or when you are talking to somebody and find out that you both know the same person

look/feel small

to look or feel stupid, weak, ashamed, etc.
- There’s no need to make me look small in front of all these people.
- I felt really small when I realized how much time he’d spent on it.
Topics Feelingsc2

(it’s) no/little/small wonder (that)…

it is not surprising
- It is little wonder (that) she was so upset.
- (informal) No wonder you're tired—you've been walking for hours.
- No wonder you're still single—you never go out!

the small/early hours

(also especially Scottish English the wee small hours, especially North American English the wee hours)

the period of time very early in the morning, soon after midnight
- We worked well into the small hours.
- The fighting began in the early hours of Saturday morning.
- The party continued well into the early hours.
Topics Timec2

(it’s) small/little/no wonder (that)…

it is not surprising
- It is small wonder (that) she was so upset.
- (informal) No wonder you're tired—you've been walking for hours.

a/the still small voice

(literary) the voice of God or your conscience, that tells you to do what is morally right

单词	small
释义	small adjective OPAL S /smɔːl/ /smɔːl/ (comparative smaller, superlative smallest) Idioms jump to other results not large not large in size, number, degree, amount, etc. a small town/village/community A much smaller number of students passed than I had expected. a small amount/percentage/sample a small group/minority Because of the small size of the sample, findings cannot be generalized. They're having a relatively small wedding. small for somebody/something That dress is too small for you. The cheeses are produced locally and only on a small scale. a small part/piece/portion a small area/country/island a small house/room/car small animals a small man The world seems so small now. With just under 600 residents, it was small for a city. ‘I don't agree,’ he said in a small (= quiet) voice. Extra Examples Choose plants that will stay small. My coat was rather small for Bob. Technology has made the world smaller. The kite grew smaller and smaller and finally disappeared altogether. Add a small amount of liquid to the mixture. 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 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? You can grow a stunning display of flowers even in the smallest garden. The house would be small for a family of your size. The text files are comparatively small in size. He is small for his age. Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs be feel look … adverb extremely fairly very … preposition for phrases big and small large and small smaller and smaller … See full entry (abbreviation S) used to describe one size in a range of sizes of clothes, food, products used in the house, etc. The T-shirts come in small, medium and large. This is too big—have you got a small one? not as big as something else of the same kind the small intestine young 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 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. Can I ask you a small favour? business [usually before noun] not doing business on a very large scale small companies/firms The government is planning to give more help to small businesses. a small farmer small investors Employers, large and small, face massive fines. letters [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 [only before noun] (used with uncountable nouns) little; not much The government has small cause for optimism. They have small hope of succeeding. Word OriginOld English smæl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch smal and German schmal. Idioms be grateful/thankful for small mercies to be happy that a situation that is bad is not as bad as it could have been Well, at least you weren't hurt. I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies. a big fish (in a small pond) an important person (in a small community) don’t sweat the small stuff (North American English, informal) used to tell somebody not to worry about small details or things that are not important great and small of all sizes or types all creatures great and small in a big/small way on a large/small scale The new delivery service has taken off in a big way. Many people are investing in a small way in the stock market. He then started spending money in a big way. it’s a small world (saying) used to express your surprise when you meet somebody you know in an unexpected place, or when you are talking to somebody and find out that you both know the same person look/feel small to look or feel stupid, weak, ashamed, etc. There’s no need to make me look small in front of all these people. I felt really small when I realized how much time he’d spent on it. Topics Feelingsc2 (it’s) no/little/small wonder (that)… it is not surprising It is little wonder (that) she was so upset. (informal) No wonder you're tired—you've been walking for hours. No wonder you're still single—you never go out! the small/early hours (also especially Scottish English the wee small hours, especially North American English the wee hours) the period of time very early in the morning, soon after midnight We worked well into the small hours. The fighting began in the early hours of Saturday morning. The party continued well into the early hours. Topics Timec2 (it’s) small/little/no wonder (that)… it is not surprising It is small wonder (that) she was so upset. (informal) No wonder you're tired—you've been walking for hours. a/the still small voice (literary) the voice of God or your conscience, that tells you to do what is morally right small adverb /smɔːl/ /smɔːl/ (smaller, smallest) jump to other results into small pieces Chop the cabbage up small. in a small size You can fit it all in if you write very small. Word OriginOld English smæl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch smal and German schmal. small noun /smɔːl/ /smɔːl/ jump to other results enlarge image the small of the/somebody’s back [singular] the lower part of the back where it curves in He felt a sharp pain in the small of his back. Topics Bodyc2 smalls [plural] (old-fashioned, British English, informal) small items of clothing, especially underwear Word OriginOld English smæl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch smal and German schmal.
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