small

adjective

1. 1

   Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.

   A small serving of ice cream.

   A small group.

   Here, in the transept and choir, where the service was being held, one was conscious every moment of an increasing brightness; colours glowing vividly beneath the circular chandeliers, and the rows of small lights on the choristers' desks flashed and sparkled in front of the boys' faces, deep linen collars, and red neckbands.

   Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers. Piling debt onto companies’ balance-sheets is only a small part of what leveraged buy-outs are about, they insist. Improving the workings of the businesses they take over is just as core to their calling, if not more so. Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster.

2. 2

   Not large or big; insignificant; few in number. Humiliated or insignificant.

   The bullies had succeeded in making him feel small.

   For all the times that you made me feel small / I fell in love, now I feel nothing at all

3. 3

   Not large or big; insignificant; few in number. Having a small penis, muscles, or other important body parts, regardless of overall body size.

   (of genitals)

   Though over six feet tall, the man was very small and ashamed to undress.

4. 4

   figurativeYoung, as a child.

   Remember when the children were small?

5. 5

   Minuscule or lowercase, referring to written or printed letters.

   "I've got catholic tastes. Catholic with a small "c", of course."

6. 6

   Evincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; paltry; mean.

   A true delineation of the smallest man is capable of interesting the greatest man.

7. 7

   Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short.

   a small space of time

8. 8

   Synonym of little (“of an industry or institution(s) therein: operating on a small scale, unlike larger counterparts”).

   small science

9. 9

   archaicSlender, gracefully slim.

10. 10

    That is small (the manufactured size).

    I'll have a small coffee, thanks.

adverb

1. 1

   In a small fashion

   Don't write very small!

2. 2

   In or into small pieces.

   That's going to go in there. We've got some chives small chopped as well.

3. 3

   obsoleteTo a small extent.

   It small avails my mood.

4. 4

   obsoleteIn a low tone; softly.

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

noun

1. 1

   One of several common sizes to which an item may be manufactured, smaller than a medium.

2. 2

   An item labelled or denoted as being that size.

   Two smalls and a large, please.

3. 3

   One who fits an item of that size.

4. 4

   rareAny part of something that is smaller or slimmer than the rest, now usually with anatomical reference to the back.

   I got a splitting pain in the small of my back

verb

1. 1

   obsoleteTo make little or less.

2. 2

   To become small; to dwindle.

   And smalled till she was nought at all.

Forms

plural

smalls

comparative

smaller

superlative

smallest

past tense

smalled

past participle

smalled

present participle

smalling

third person singular

smalls