small

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Letters & punctuation

small1 /smɔːl $ smɒːl/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective (comparative smaller, superlative smallest)  1  size 尺寸SMALLSHORT PERSON not large in size or amount 〔尺寸或数量〕小的 a small piece of paper 一小片纸 a small car 一辆小汽车 a small town 小镇 a small dark woman 一个皮肤黝黑的小个子女人 The T-shirt was too small for him. 这件 T 恤衫他穿太小了。 The sweater comes in three sizes – small, medium, and large. 这羊毛衫有三个尺寸: 小号、中号和大号。 Only a relatively small number of people were affected. 只有相对少数的人受到了影响。 a small amount of money 一小笔钱 A much smaller proportion of women are employed in senior positions. 受雇担任高级职位的女性比例要小得多。► see thesaurus at short2  not important 不重要的UNIMPORTANT a small problem, job, mistake etc is not important or does not have a large effect 〔问题、工作、错误等〕不重要的，没大影响的，微不足道的 SYN minor We may have to make a few small changes. 我们也许要作些小小的变动。 There’s been a small problem. 有个小问题。 There’s only a small difference between them. 它们之间只有细微的差别。 It was good to feel we had helped in some small way. 能帮上一点小忙，我们感到真高兴。3  no small degree/achievement/task etc a large degree, achievement etc 不小的程度/成就/任务等 The success of the project is due in no small measure to the work of Dr Peterson. 项目的成功在很大程度上要归功于彼得森博士的努力。 That is no small achievement in the circumstances. 在这种情况下，那是个不小的成就。4  young 年幼的YOUNG a small child is young 幼小的，年幼的 She has three small children. 她有三个年幼的孩子。 I’ve known him since he was a small boy. 从他还是个小孩子起，我就认识他了。► see thesaurus at young5  small business/firm/farmer etc Ba business that does not involve large amounts of money or does not employ a large number of people 小企业/小公司/小农场主等 grants for small businesses 给小企业的补贴6. letter 字母SLA small letters are letters in the form a, b, c etc rather than A, B, C etc 小写体的，小写的 SYN lower case OPP capital7. conservative with a small ‘c’/democrat with a small ‘d’ etc informalSTRONG1# someone who believes in the principles you have mentioned, but does not belong to an organized group or political party 支持保守党/民主党等的党外人士8  voice 声音QUIET a small voice is quiet and soft 低的，细弱的，柔和的 ‘What about me?’ she asked in a small voice. “我呢？”她轻声问道。9  look/feel small EMBARRASSEDto seem or feel stupid, unimportant, or ashamed 显得/感觉矮人一截 She jumped at any opportunity to make me look small. 她逮到机会就要让我出丑。10  (it’s a) small world especially spoken used to express surprise when you unexpectedly meet someone you know or find out that someone has an unexpected connection to you 世界真小〔用于在意外地遇见认识的人，或发现某人跟自己有意想不到的关系时表示惊讶〕 Did you know David went to school with my brother? It’s a small world, isn’t it? 你知道吗？戴维和我哥哥是同学。世界真小啊，是不是？11  a small fortune a large amount of money 一大笔钱cost/spend/pay a small fortune It must have cost him a small fortune. 这肯定花去了他一大笔钱。12  small change coins of low value 小额硬币，零钱 I didn’t have any small change for the parking meter. 我没有投停车计时收费器的零钱。13  be thankful/grateful for small mercies/favours to be pleased that a bad situation is not even worse 为坏情况没有到更糟的地步而庆幸 She wasn’t too badly hurt, so we should be thankful for small mercies. 她伤得不太重，我们应该感到庆幸。14  the small hours  (also the wee small hours British English) the early morning hours, between about one and four o’clock 凌晨时分〔约凌晨1点到4点〕in/into the small hours He finally fell exhausted into bed in the small hours. 凌晨时分他终于筋疲力尽地上了床。 The party continued into the wee small hours. 派对一直进行到凌晨。15. small arms guns that you hold with one or both hands when firing them 轻武器〔可用单手或双手拿着射击的武器〕16  something is small potatoes  (also something is small beer British English) informal used to say that someone or something is not important, especially when compared to other people or things 无足轻重的人[事物]，微不足道的人[事物] Even with £10,000 to invest, you are still small beer for most investment managers. 即使投资一万英镑，对大多数的投资管理人来说你还是个小人物。 —small adverb He writes so small I can’t read it. 他字写得这么小，我看不清楚。 —smallness noun [uncountable] THESAURUSsmall not large in size, amount, or effect 〔大小、数量或影响〕小的a small boat 小船small businesses 小企业a small amount of money 一小笔钱small changes 微小的变化little [usually before noun] small – used about objects, places, and living things. Used especially with other adjectives to show how you feel about someone or something 〔物体、地方和有生命之物〕小的 尤与其他形容词连用表示对某人或某物的感觉〕It’s a very pretty little town. 这是一个非常漂亮的小镇。The poor little dog has hurt its leg. 可怜的小狗腿上受伤了。The cake was decorated with little flowers. 蛋糕上点缀着一朵朵小花。low used about prices, rents, levels, or standards 〔价格、租金、水平或标准〕低的People on low incomes are finding it difficult to pay fuel bills. 低收入人士觉得难以支付燃油账单。The crime rate in the area is relatively low. 这个地区犯罪率相对较低。slight [usually before noun] small and not very important or not very noticeable 小的,轻微的，微小的a slight problem 轻微的问题There’s been a slight improvement in his health. 他的健康略有好转。a slight increase in sales 销售的略微增长minor small and not important or not serious 小的,不重要的,不严重的minor injuries 轻伤We’ve made some minor changes to the program. 我们对计划作了几处小小的改动。compact small – used about places, buildings etc in which space is used effectively, or about phones, cameras, cars etc which are designed to be much smaller than usual 〔地方、建筑物等〕紧凑的；〔手机、照相机、汽车等〕小巧的The apartments are very compact. 这些公寓都非常紧凑。a compact camera 袖珍照相机nIt is a pleasant and compact city.poky especially British English used about a room, house etc that is too small 〔房间、房子等〕狭小的,拥挤的a poky bedroom 狭小的卧室a poky flat 拥挤的公寓cramped used about a space, room, or vehicle that is too small because people do not have enough room to move around 〔空间、房间或车辆〕拥挤的They all lived together in a cramped apartment. 他们全部生活在一套拥挤的公寓里。The car feels cramped with four adults in it. 这车坐进四个大人就觉得拥挤了。very small 非常小tiny very small – used about objects, numbers, or amounts 〔物体、数或量〕极小的,微小的a tiny island 极小的岛Dairy foods provide your body with a tiny amount of vitamin D. 奶制品为人体提供微量维生素D。teeny informal very small – used for emphasis 很小的〔用于强调〕I’ll just have a teeny bit of cream. 我只要一丁点奶油。There’s just one teeny little problem. 只有一个很小很小的问题。na teeny little houseminute /maɪˈnjuːt $ -ˈnuːt/ extremely small and extremely difficult to see or notice 微小的,极小的They found minute traces of poison in his body. 他们在他体内发现了微量毒素。The differences are minute. 差别很细微。minute creatures 微小生物miniature a miniature camera, watch, railway etc is made in a very small size. A miniature horse, dog etc is bred to be a very small size 〔照相机、手表、铁路等〕微型的；〔马、狗等〕小种的The spy used a miniature camera. 这名间谍使用了微型相机。the fashion for miniature pets 饲养微型宠物的时尚microscopic extremely small and impossible to see without special equipment 微小的,要用显微镜才能看见的microscopic organisms 微小生物microscopic particles of dust 粉尘微粒minuscule /ˈmɪnəskjuːl/ extremely small in a surprising way 非常小的,微小的She was wearing a minuscule bikini. 她穿着一件很小的比基尼。The threat from terrorism is minuscule compared to other risks in our lives. 相对于我们生活中的其他危险而言,这种威胁是微不足道的。nitty-bitty/itsy-bitsy [only before noun] American English informal very smallAn itty-bitty little bug crawled across his forehead. We stayed at some itty-bitty hotel in a back street. n GRAMMAR: Order of adjectivesIf there is more than one adjective, the adjectives are usually used in a fixed order. You say: They live in a nice small town. ✗Don’t say: They live in a small nice town.You say: She had a small white dog. ✗Don’t say: She had a white small dog.

Examples from the Corpus

small• The level of radiation in the atmosphere is really very small.• Mrs Newman was a small and slightly plump, with a round face.• My sister's quite a bit smaller and slimmer than me.• It is important to use small bags, since a large number of acorns together will generate heat.• On the mainland, the small beaches were faintly visible, the surf like a tiny ruffle of white lace.• He took it into a small booth under the stairs which evidently served him as darkroom.• People are buying smaller cars because they are cheaper to run.• Smaller cars use less gas.• I've got a small cassette.• I want to make a few small changes to the design.• Be aware that women and small children, as well as men, can be pickpockets.• Highly suitable for a small children's collection with modest funds for annual updating of stock. 8.• She soon discovered that looking after small children was very tiring.• Private schools can offer smaller classes and more individual attention.• But smaller deficits brought on either by spending cuts or higher taxes reduce purchasing power.• Government statistics showed a small drop in the annual rate of inflation.• Bobby's small for his age, but he's perfectly healthy.• a small increase in food prices• a small man in a dark suit• How come I always seem to go out with small men?• Wonford House was a smaller, more modern, hospital.• Only a small number of people eventually turned up.• A small number of protesters stood near the entrance to the plant.• His office was a small room at the top of the building.• Rhode Island is the smallest state in the nation.• The kids were too small to really understand.• "It still hurts, " he said in a small voice.• Leonora had small, well-shaped hands and clasped his warmly.smaller proportion• A slightly smaller proportion need shopping help, but only 9 percent receive this type of assistance.• A smaller proportion of fruit is available in winter, however.• Lone parents have much smaller proportions of household heads in the labour market than two parent families.• Such a tax takes a smaller and smaller proportion of income as income increases.• Their short-term assets form a much smaller proportion of the total.• The reverse is true for men, however, with a smaller proportion of working-class men marrying than their upper-class contemporaries.• Girls sniff too, although, perhaps a slightly smaller proportion than boys.small2 noun  1. the small of your back HBHthe lower part of your back where it curves 后腰2. smalls [plural] British English old-fashioned informalDCC underwear 内衣From Longman Business Dictionarysmallsmall /smɔːlsmɒːl/ adjective1not large in size or amountBoeing doesn’t make a small, 100-seat plane.The recent fare increases are small.For a small fee, we can sell your shares for you.2unimportant or easy to deal withThe company has admitted to small mistakes in billing.It would be a small matter to offer employees interest-free loans for a limited period.Origin small1 Old English smæl

small1 adjective →10-16
→n GRAMMAR1 →THESAURUS1small2 nounLDOCE OnlineChinese  

large or amount Business not size Corpus in

small

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small¹ S1 W1 /smɔːl $ smɒːl/ adjective (comparative smaller, superlative smallest)1.  SIZE not large in size or amount:
    a small piece of paper
    a small car
    a small town
    a small dark woman
    The T-shirt was too small for him.
    The sweater comes in three sizes – small, medium, and large.
    Only a relatively small number of people were affected.
    a small amount of money
    A much smaller proportion of women are employed in senior positions.
2.  NOT IMPORTANT a small problem, job, mistake etc is not important or does not have a large effect
   SYN  minor:
    We may have to make a few small changes.
    There’s been a small problem.
    There’s only a small difference between them.
    It was good to feel we had helped in some small way.
3. no small degree/achievement/task etc a large degree, achievement etc:
    The success of the project is due in no small measure to the work of Dr Peterson.
    That is no small achievement in the circumstances.
4.  YOUNG a small child is young:
    She has three small children.
    I’ve known him since he was a small boy.
5. small business/firm/farmer etc a business that does not involve large amounts of money or does not employ a large number of people:
    grants for small businesses
6.  LETTER small letters are letters in the form a, b, c etc rather than A, B, C etc
   SYN  lower case
   OPP  capital
7. conservative with a small 'c'/democrat with a small 'd' etc informal someone who believes in the principles you have mentioned, but does not belong to an organized group or political party
8.  VOICE a small voice is quiet and soft:
    ‘What about me?’ she asked in a small voice.
9. look/feel small to seem or feel stupid, unimportant, or ashamed:
    She jumped at any opportunity to make me look small.
10. (it’s a) small world especially spoken used to express surprise when you unexpectedly meet someone you know or find out that someone has an unexpected connection to you:
    Did you know David went to school with my brother? It’s a small world, isn’t it?
11. a small fortune a large amount of money
    cost/spend/pay a small fortune
    It must have cost him a small fortune.
12. small change coins of low value:
    I didn’t have any small change for the parking meter.
13. be thankful/grateful for small mercies/favours to be pleased that a bad situation is not even worse:
    She wasn’t too badly hurt, so we should be thankful for small mercies.
14. the small hours (also the wee small hours British English) the early morning hours, between about one and four o'clock
    in/into the small hours
    He finally fell exhausted into bed in the small hours.
    The party continued into the wee small hours.
15. small arms guns that you hold with one or both hands when firing them
16. something is small potatoes (also something is small beer British English) informal used to say that someone or something is not important, especially when compared to other people or things:
    Even with £10,000 to invest, you are still small beer for most investment managers.
—small adverb:
    He writes so small I can’t read it.
—smallness noun [uncountable]
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ small not large in size, amount, or effect: a small boat | small businesses | a small amount of money | small changes
   ▪ little [usually before noun] small – used about objects, places, and living things. Used especially with other adjectives to show how you feel about someone or something: It’s a very pretty little town. | The poor little dog has hurt its leg. | The cake was decorated with little flowers.
   ▪ low used about prices, rents, levels, or standards: People on low incomes are finding it difficult to pay fuel bills. | The crime rate in the area is relatively low.
   ▪ slight [usually before noun] small and not very important or not very noticeable: a slight problem | There’s been a slight improvement in his health. | a slight increase in sales
   ▪ minor small and not important or not serious: minor injuries | We’ve made some minor changes to the program.
   ▪ compact small – used about places, buildings etc in which space is used effectively, or about phones, cameras, cars etc which are designed to be much smaller than usual: The apartments are very compact. | a compact camera | It is a pleasant and compact city.
   ▪ poky especially British English used about a room, house etc that is too small: a poky bedroom | a poky flat
   ▪ cramped used about a space, room, or vehicle that is too small because people do not have enough room to move around: They all lived together in a cramped apartment. | The car feels cramped with four adults in it.
■ very small
   ▪ tiny very small – used about objects, numbers, or amounts: a tiny island | Dairy foods provide your body with a tiny amount of vitamin D.
   ▪ teeny informal very small - used for emphasis: I'll just have a teeny bit of cream. | There's just one teeny little problem. | a teeny little house
   ▪ minute extremely small and extremely difficult to see or notice: They found minute traces of poison in his body. | The differences are minute. | minute creatures
   ▪ miniature a miniature camera, watch, railway etc is made in a very small size. A miniature horse, dog etc is bred to be a very small size: The spy used a miniature camera. | the fashion for miniature pets
   ▪ microscopic extremely small and impossible to see without special equipment: microscopic organisms | microscopic particles of dust
   ▪ minuscule /ˈmɪnəskjuːl, ˈmɪnɪskjuːl/ extremely small in a surprising way: She was wearing a minuscule bikini. | The threat from terrorism is minuscule compared to other risks in our lives.
   ▪ itty-bitty/itsy-bitsy [only before noun] American English informal very small: An itty-bitty little bug crawled across his forehead. | We stayed at some itty-bitty hotel in a back street.

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small² noun
1. the small of your back the lower part of your back where it curves
2. smalls [plural] British English old-fashioned informal underwear