little
- little
-
I. adjective
(littler or less or lesser; littlest or least)
Etymology: Middle English littel, from Old English lȳtel; akin to Old High German luzzil little
Date: before 12th century
1. not big: as
a. small in size or extent ; tiny <
has little feet
>
b. young <was too little to remember
>
c. of a plant or animal small in comparison with related forms — used in vernacular names
d. having few members or inhabitants <a little group
> <little towns
>
e. small in condition, distinction, or scope <big business trampling on the little fellow
>
f. narrow, mean <the pettiness of little minds
>
g. pleasingly small <a cute little thing
>
h. — used as an intensive <why, you little devil!
>
2. not much: as
a. existing only in a small amount or to a slight degree <has little money
>
b. short in duration ; brief
c. existing to an appreciable though not extensive degree or amount — used with a <had a little money in the bank
>
3. small in importance or interest ; trivial
Synonyms: see small
• littleness noun
II. adverb
(less; least)
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. in only a small quantity or degree ; slightly <facts that were little known at the time
>
b. not at all <cared little for their neighbors
>
2. rarely, infrequently
III. noun
Date: before 12th century
1. a small amount, quantity, or degree; also practically nothing <little has changed
>
2.
a. a short time
b. a short distance
New Collegiate Dictionary.
2001.
Synonyms:
Look at other dictionaries:
Little — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Andrew Little (* 1989), nordirischer Fußballspieler Booker Little (1938–1961), US amerikanischer Jazztrompeter Brian R. Little, kanadischer Professor für Psychologie Bryan Little (* 1987), kanadischer… … Deutsch Wikipedia
Little — Lit tle (l[i^]t t l), a. [The regular comparative and superlative of this word, littler and littlest, are often used as comparatives of the sense small; but in the sense few, less, or, rarely, lesser is the proper comparative and least is the… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Little go — Little Lit tle (l[i^]t t l), a. [The regular comparative and superlative of this word, littler and littlest, are often used as comparatives of the sense small; but in the sense few, less, or, rarely, lesser is the proper comparative and least is… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Little 15 — «Little 15» Sencillo de Depeche Mode del álbum Music for the Masses Lado B Stjarna y la Sonata no. 14 Formato Disco de vinilo de 7 y 12 CD desde 1991 Grabación 1987 … Wikipedia Español
little — [lit′ l] adj. littler or less or lesser, littlest or least [ME littel < OE lytel (akin to Ger dial. lützel) < base of lyt, small (< IE base * leud , to stoop > Welsh lludded, fatigue), infl. by ON litill, small (akin to Goth leitils)… … English World dictionary
Little 15 — Single par Depeche Mode extrait de l’album Music for the Masses Face A Little 15 Face B Stjärna Sortie 16 mai 1988 Enregistremen … Wikipédia en Français
Little — Lit tle, n. 1. That which is little; a small quantity, amount, space, or the like. [1913 Webster] Much was in little writ. Dryden. [1913 Webster] There are many expressions, which carrying with them no clear ideas, are like to remove but little… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Little My — (Swedish: Lilla My , Finnish: Pikku Myy ) is a character in the Moomin series of books by Tove Jansson. She first appears in the fourth book, The Exploits of Moominpappa. She is a small, determined and fiercely independent Mymble. When she wants… … Wikipedia
little — ► ADJECTIVE 1) small in size, amount, or degree. 2) (of a person) young or younger. 3) of short distance or duration. 4) trivial, unimportant, or humble. ► DETERMINER & PRONOUN 1) (a little) a small amount of … English terms dictionary
Little X — Little X, (born Julien Christian Lutz in 1975), is a Canadian music video director of Trinidadian heritage.His mother, a Trinidadian and his father of Swiss descent.He has two sisters and ten aunts on his mom s side. A protégé of Hype Williams,… … Wikipedia
little — [adj1] small in size, amount babyish, bantam, brief, cramped, diminutive, dinky, elfin, embryonic, fleeting, hardly any, hasty, immature, imperceptible, inappreciable, inconsiderable, infant, infinitesimal, insufficient, junior, light,… … New thesaurus