Definition of 'little'

little determiner, quantifier, and adverb uses

(lɪtəl )

1. determiner

You use little to indicate that there is only a very small amount of something. You can use 'so', 'too', and 'very' in front of little.

I had little money and little free time.

I find that I need very little sleep these days.

There is little doubt that a diet high in fibre is more satisfying.

So far little progress has been made towards ending the fighting.

The pudding is quick and easy and needs little attention once in the oven.

Little is also a quantifier.

Little of the existing housing is of good enough quality.

Little of the money gets through to the children who need it.

Little is also a pronoun.

He ate little, and drank less.

In general, employers do little to help the single working mother.

Little is known about his childhood.

2. adverb [ADVERB with verb]

Little means not very often or to only a small extent.

On their way back to Marseille they spoke very little.

The animals were covered in dust, but otherwise little affected.

Synonyms: hardly, barely, not quite, not much More Synonyms of little

3. determiner

A little of something is a small amount of it, but not very much. You can also say a very little.

Mrs Caan needs a little help getting her groceries home.

A little food would do us all some good.

...a little light reading.

I shall be only a very little time.

Little is also a pronoun.

They get paid for it. Not much. Just a little.

Little is also a quantifier.

Pour a little of the sauce over the chicken. [+ of]

I'm sure she won't mind sparing us a little of her time. [+ of]

4. adverb [ADVERB after verb]

If you do something a little, you do it for a short time.

He walked a little by himself in the garden.

Synonyms: to a small extent, slightly, to some extent, to a certain extent More Synonyms of little

5. adverb [ADVERB after verb, ADVERB adjective/adverb]

A little or a little bit means to a small extent or degree.

He complained a little of a nagging pain between his shoulder blades.

He was a little bit afraid of his father's reaction.

If you have to drive when you are tired, go a little more slowly than you would normally.

He wanted to have someone to whom he could talk a little about himself.

See little by little

More Synonyms of little

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English Easy Learning GrammarNoun phrases with several determinersMost noun phrases contain only one determiner or none at all, but if there are more, they follow a definite order. Determiners can be divided into four ... Read more

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little adjective uses

(lɪtəl )

Word forms: comparative littler , superlative littlest The comparative littler and the superlative littlest are sometimes used in spoken English for meanings [sense 1], , [sense 3], and , [sense 4], but otherwise the comparative and superlative forms of the adjective little are not used.

1. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]

Little things are small in size. Little is slightly more informal than small.

We sat around a little table, eating and drinking tea.

...the little group of art students.

Synonyms: small, minute, short, tiny More Synonyms of little

2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]

You use little to indicate that someone or something is small, in a pleasant and attractive way.

She's got the nicest little house not far from the library.

...a little old lady.

James usually drives a little hatchback.

3. adjective

A little child is young.

I have a little boy of 8.

When I was little I was very hyper-active.

Synonyms: young, small, junior, infant More Synonyms of little

4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]

Your little sister or brother is younger than you are.

Whenever Daniel's little sister was asked to do something she always had a naughty reply.

5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]

A little distance, period of time, or event is short in length.

Just go down the road a little way, turn left, and cross the bridge.

Why don't we just wait a little while and see what happens.

I've been wanting to have a little talk with you.

6. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]

A little sound or gesture is quick.

I had a little laugh to myself.

She stood up quickly, giving a little cry of astonishment.

He turned with a little nod and I watched him walk away.

Synonyms: short, brief, fleeting, short-lived More Synonyms of little

7. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]

You use little to indicate that something is not serious or important.

...irritating little habits.

Harry found himself getting angry over little things that had never bothered him before.

Synonyms: unimportant, minor, petty, trivial More Synonyms of little

Video: pronunciation of
little

little in British English

(ˈlɪtəl )

determiner

1. (often preceded by a)

a small quantity, extent, or duration of

the little hope there is left

very little milk

(as pronoun)

save a little for me

not much

little damage was done

3. See make little of

4. See not a little

5. See quite a little

6. See think little of

adjective

of small or less than average size

young

a little boy

our little ones

endearingly familiar; dear

my husband's little ways

10.

contemptible, mean, or disagreeable

your filthy little mind

11.

(of a region or district) resembling another country or town in miniature

little Venice

12. See little game

13. See no little

adverb

14. (usually preceded by a)

in a small amount; to a small extent or degree; not a lot

to laugh a little

15. (used preceding a verb)

not at all, or hardly

he little realized his fate

16.

not much or often

we go there very little now

17. See little by little

See also less, lesser, least, littler, littlest

Word origin

Old English lӯtel; related to lӯr few, Old High German luzzil

little in American English

(ˈlɪtəl )

adjectiveWord forms: ˈlittler or less or ˈlesser, ˈlittlest or least

small in size; not big, large, or great

small in amount, number, or degree; not much

short in duration or distance; brief; not long

small in importance or power

the rights of the little man

small in force, intensity, etc.; weak

trivial; trifling

lacking in breadth of vision; narrow-minded; illiberal

a little mind

young

said of children or animals

younger

her little brother

adverbWord forms: less or least

10.

in a small degree; to a slight extent; only slightly; not much

11.

not in the least

he little suspects the plot

noun

12.

small amount, degree, etc.

often used with a and having adverbial force

a little crazy

not much

little will be done about it

13.

a short time or distance

SIMILAR WORDS: small

Idioms:

Derived forms

littleness (ˈlittleness)

noun

Word origin

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) < IE base *lei-, to decline, be lean > less

Examples of 'little' in a sentence
little

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

Yet there is surprisingly little help for people like us.Things have just been a little harder this quarter.Yet there is little hard evidence to support these ideas. West hopes his partner has a little something.At present there is often very little that doctors can do to help them to recover.This way you are also doing a little stretch.The game allows you to take as little or as much responsibility as you want.But there's little from further back. Asked about his personal life, he gave little away.The older generation had little love for the extremists.