small

Less common meanings

4. 4
   sized itemnouncountablenoun from verb

   The standard size named small, below medium, in which clothing, drinks, or other items are sold; an item in that size, or a person who wears it.

   The barista handed her a small with extra foam.

   She tried on the medium, then exchanged it for a small.

   UsageTakes a and the plural smalls: two smalls and a large.

   Oppositelarge

5. 5
   adjective

   Of the standard size sold under the name small, especially for clothing, food, or drink.

   He bought the small jersey since the medium was too loose.

   Could I get a small fries and a medium iced tea, please?

   UsageGoes before a noun on menus and racks: a small coffee, a small fries. On its own it becomes a small.

   Oppositelarge

   Note

   Retail turns the adjective into a label. A small coffee is whatever the menu calls small, so the word names a step in a fixed set of sizes rather than describing the thing.

6. 6
   faint soundadjective

   Of a voice or sound, quiet and weak, often in a way that shows shyness, fear or sadness.

   When the doctor asked how she felt, she answered in a small, shaky voice.

   His voice grew smaller with every question about the missing money.

   UsageMost often in in a small voice.

   Similarquiet, faint, weak, timid

   Oppositeloud, strong

   Note

   It describes how a voice comes across rather than its loudness alone, so a small voice is quiet and uncertain at once, the opposite of a big, confident one. Writers often use it to show a character shrinking under pressure, as when a voice grows smaller with each question.

7. 7
   pettyadjective

   Showing little worth or generosity of character; petty, mean, or narrow-minded.

   Spreading those rumors was a small and spiteful act.

   Only a very small man would gloat over a rival's bad luck.

   Similarpetty, mean, ungenerous, narrow-minded

   Oppositegenerous, magnanimous, noble

8. 8
   ashamedadjective

   Feeling humiliated, ashamed, or reduced in importance.

   Their constant criticism made him feel small and worthless.

   She left the meeting feeling small after her idea was dismissed.

   UsageMostly in feel small and make someone feel small.

   Similarlittle

   Oppositebig

   Note

   Here size has moved inside the person. Bullies succeed in making someone feel small, and in Justin Bieber's Love Yourself (2015) a former partner did it many times. Compared with humiliated, it is plainer and more physical: the speaker describes shrinking, not simply being shamed. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

   • Love Yourself is a Justin Bieber song released in 2015. music.apple.com
   • The song addresses a former romantic partner. en.wikipedia.org
   • The song's narrator says the former partner repeatedly made him feel small. en.wiktionary.org
9. 9
   briefadjective

   Continuing for only a short time; brief in duration.

   He took a small break between the two long meetings.

   There was only a small interval between the lightning and the thunder.

   Similarshort, brief, quick

   Oppositelong, lengthy, extended

10. 10
    adverb

    On a modest or limited scale; in a small way.

    The firm started small before expanding across the country.

    She invests small, never risking more than she can lose.

    UsageMostly after start or think: start small, think small.

    Similarmodestly

    Oppositebig

11. 11
    verbrareintransitivenoun from verb

    To make or become smaller, less, or fewer.

    And smalled till she was nought at all.

    1917, Thomas Hardy, The Clock of the Years

    Similarshrink, diminish, dwindle, lessen, decrease

    Oppositegrow, increase, enlarge, expand

12. 12
    lower caseadjective

    Lowercase rather than capital, referring to a written or printed letter.

    Spell the brand with a small 'e' at the beginning.

    He always writes his initials in small letters.

    UsageUsually a small letter or a small 'e'. In writing about type or computers, lowercase is usual.

    Similarlowercase, minuscule

    Oppositecapital, uppercase, majuscule

    Note

    It also yields a useful idiom. In Anthony Burgess's Beds in the East (1959), a speaker has "catholic tastes. Catholic with a small 'c'". The small letter marks the everyday meaning, broad-ranging, as against the proper name of the Church. Source

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

    • Anthony Burgess wrote Beds in the East, first published in 1959. anthonyburgess.org
    • The novel contains the quoted dialogue about catholic tastes and a small c. en.wiktionary.org
13. 13
    into piecesadverb

    Cut or divided into small pieces; finely.

    Dice the carrots small and add them to the broth.

    He had chopped the parsley small before garnishing the dish.

    UsageGoes after the verb: chop small, dice small, cut small.

    Similarfinely

    Oppositecoarsely, roughly

    Note

    A kitchen adverb, placed after the verb it completes: chop small, dice small, cut small. Small here describes the result, meaning the size of the pieces, not the manner of cutting. Recipe talk can even put it first. A television chef did this in 2009 with "some chives small chopped", which works much like finely chopped. Source

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

    • The quotation is attributed to Ingrid Hoffmann in a television transcription dated September 28, 2009. en.wiktionary.org
    • The attributed speaker was a television cooking presenter. en.wikipedia.org
14. 14
    lower backnouncountablenoun from verb

    The narrow lower part of the back, in the phrase the small of the back; rarely, the narrowest part of anything else.

    A dull ache settled in the small of her back after the long drive.

    The jacket bunched up at the small of his back.

    UsageKeep the before small, even with a possessive: the small of her back.

    Note

    A noun that survives mainly in one phrase: the small of the back, the narrowing where back pain so often settles. Its wider use, for the slim part of anything, is now rare, and it preserves the word's old link to slenderness. Source

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

    • The noun denotes the slender part of something, including the back. gutenberg.org
    • The lower back is a common location of back pain. nhs.uk
    • Small has a historical connection with slenderness. en.wiktionary.org
15. 15
    adverbobsolete

    To a slight degree; only a little.

    It small avails my mood.

    1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto)

    Note

    A degree adverb from Shakespeare's time, now gone: "It small avails my mood" (Lucrece, 1594). It sits directly before the verb, where modern English would say little avails or does little. In older texts it usually means "little, not much" rather than "a bit". Source

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

    • The degree-adverb use is attested in Shakespeare's time. en.wiktionary.org
    • The quoted words occur in Shakespeare's Lucrece; Lucrece speaks them to her maid. en.wikisource.org
    • Lucrece was first published in 1594. shakespearedocumented.folger.edu
    • Small immediately precedes the verb in the quotation. en.wikisource.org
16. 16
    adverbobsolete

    In a thin, high or gentle voice, as a woman or child might speak.

    That's all one: you shall play it in a mask, and / you may speak as small as you will.

    c. 1595, William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”

    Note

    An adverb of the voice that modern English has let go. In William Shakespeare's A Midsommer Nights Dreame (1600), a player given a part in a mask is told he "may speak as small as you will", meaning quietly, thin rather than full. It followed verbs of speaking. Source

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 5 facts

    • Small had an adverbial sense referring to a soft voice. en.wiktionary.org
    • William Shakespeare wrote A Midsommer Nights Dreame. shakespearedocumented.folger.edu
    • A player assigned a masked role is told that he may speak as small as he wishes. folger.edu
    • The historical adverb could mean quietly or softly. en.wiktionary.org
    • The adverb followed verbs of speaking. en.wiktionary.org
17. 17
    adjectivearchaic

    Slender and gracefully slim in build.

    Note

    An older sense that keeps the word's first meaning alive. Old English smæl meant "small, narrow, slender", and its Germanic relatives stayed close to that meaning: Dutch smal and West Frisian smel mean "narrow", and German schmal means "narrow, small". Calling a figure small in this sense praised its slimness, not its size. Source

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 7 facts

    • The slender sense preserves meanings present in the Old English ancestor. en.wiktionary.org
    • Old English smæl meant small, narrow, and slender. en.wiktionary.org
    • Dutch smal, West Frisian smel, and German schmal are Germanic relatives of small with related meanings. en.wiktionary.org
    • Dutch smal means narrow. en.wiktionary.org
    • West Frisian smel means narrow. en.wiktionary.org
    • German schmal means narrow or small. en.wiktionary.org
    • Small could describe a gracefully slim figure rather than overall size. en.wiktionary.org