the Big Apple

(also the Apple) see under big¹

upset the apple-cart

To throw plans into confusion

big¹ /big/

adjective (biggˈer; biggˈest)

1. Large or great
2. Grown-up
3. Older (as in big sister, big brother)
4. Magnanimous, generous (usu facetious)
5. Loud
6. Pompous, pretentious, boastful
7. Very important, as the Big Three, Big Four, etc, leaders, countries, organizations, etc
8. (of things) significant, considerable
9. (of wine) having an intense taste and colour
10. Advanced in pregnancy (obsolete)

adverb (informal)

1. Boastfully or ambitiously, as in talk big
2. Greatly or impressively
3. On a grand scale, as in think big

biggˈish adjective

biggˈy or biggˈie noun (informal)

A large or important person or thing

bigˈness noun

Bulk, size

big bad noun

In a role-playing game, an evil character who creates problems which have to be overcome by the players of the game

big band noun

A large jazz or dance band

bigˈ-band adjective

Big Bang or big bang noun see under bang¹

Big Beat noun

A type of electronic dance music combining aspects of hip-hop and rock

big-bellˈied adjective

1. Having a big belly
2. Pregnant (with)

Big Ben noun

1. The bell in the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, London
2. The tower itself
3. The clock itself

Big Blue noun

A nickname for the IBM computer company

Big Board noun (US inf; also without caps)

The New York Stock Exchange

big-box' adjective (US inf)

Denoting a retail outlet in the style of a warehouse

Big Brother noun

1. A dictator, as in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-four (1949)
2. A powerful leader or organization, regarded as ubiquitous and sinister

Big Brotherism noun

big bucks plural noun (slang)

Large amounts of money

bigˈ-bud noun

A swelling of currant buds caused by a gall mite

big business noun

Large business enterprises and organizations, esp collectively

big cat see under cat¹

big cheese noun (old sl)

An important person

big Daddy or big White Chief noun (informal; both also Big)

A paternalistic or domineering head of an organization, etc

big data noun

Computer data sets that are so large and complex that specialist tools are required to process them

big deal noun (informal)

Used as a scornful response to an offer, boast, etc

big dipper noun

1. A roller-coaster at an amusement park (orig US)
2. (with caps) the constellation of the Plough (esp N American)

big end noun

In an internal-combustion engine, the larger end of the connecting rod

Big-endian see Little-endian under little

bigˈeye noun

A tropical or subtropical sea fish (family Priacanthidae) with very large eyes

big fish noun

1. A powerful person
2. Such a person in a criminal organization thought worthy of capture

Bigˈfoot noun (also without cap; pl bigˈfeet)

In the USA and Canada, a hairy primate reputed to inhabit wilderness areas, and said to be between 6 and 15 feet tall

Big Four noun

A collective name for the four largest UK clearing banks: HSBC, Lloyds TSB, Barclays and the Royal Bank of Scotland

big game see under game¹

big girl's blouse noun (informal)

Someone who behaves in a feeble or effeminate manner

big government noun (chiefly US derog)

A style of government in which there is high taxation and the state takes a prominent role in the provision of public services

big guns plural noun (informal)

The important, powerful persons in an organization, etc

big hair noun

Hair in a bouffant style

bigˈhead noun (informal)

1. A conceited person
2. Conceit (N American)

bigˈheaded adjective

big-heartˈed adjective

Generous

big hitter noun

1. (in cricket, baseball, etc) a player who hits the ball a long way
2. An important, influential, or successful person (informal)

bigˈhorn noun

A large-horned mountain-dwelling sheep (Ovis canadensis) of N America and Siberia

big house noun

1. Prison (US sl)
2. The house of the local landowner, a wealthy citizen, or the like

big iron noun

(comput sl) large, powerful mainframe computers

big money same as big bucks above.

bigˈmouth noun (slang)

A talkative and often boastful or indiscreet person

bigˈmouthed adjective

big name noun (informal)

A celebrity

big noise noun (informal)

An important person

bigˈ-note transitive verb (Aust inf)

To boast about oneself, try to make (oneself) seem important

Big Pharma noun

The major pharmaceutical companies, collectively

big science noun

Scientific and technical research that requires large financial resources

big screen noun

The cinema, as opposed to television

bigˈ-screen adjective

big shot see bigwig below.

big society noun

The political idea that more power and responsibility should be devolved from the state into the hands of local communities

big tent noun

A political group or party that accommodates a broad range of views

big stick noun (informal)

A display of force, as a threat or means of persuasion

big tent noun

A political group or party that accommodates a broad range of views

big-tickˈet adjective (US inf)

Expensive

big time noun (informal)

The top level in any pursuit, esp show business

bigˈ-time adjective

1. At the top level
2. Important

adverb

To a large extent, greatly

big toe see under toe

big top noun

A large circular tent used for circus performances

big tree noun (N American)

The giant redwood

big wheel noun

A Ferris wheel

big White Chief noun

1. See big Daddy above
2. An important person (informal)

bigˈwig or big shot noun (informal)

A powerful person, a person of some importance

be big on (informal)

1. To do a lot of, be strong in (a particular area of work, etc)
2. To be enthusiastic about

big up (slang)

To express approval and respect for

go over big (with) (informal)

To impress greatly

in a big way

1. To a large extent
2. Vigorously, enthusiastically

that's big of him, etc (usu ironic)

That action, etc is generous on his, etc part

the Big Apple

(also the Apple) (informal) New York City

the Big C (informal)

Cancer

the Big Smoke see under smoke

too big for one's boots or breeches

Conceited, self-important

what's the big idea?

What on earth is going on?