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big

Syllabification: (big)
Pronunciation: /big/

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Definition of big

adjective (bigger, biggest)

  • 1of considerable size, extent, or intensity:big hazel eyes big buildings big cuts in staff
  • [attributive] of a large or the largest size:my big toe
  • grown up:I’m a big girl now
  • elder:my big sister
  • [attributive] informal doing a specified action very often or on a very large scale:a big eater a big gambler
  • informal on an ambitiously large scale:a small company with big plans
  • informal popular or exciting interest among the public:Latino bands that are big in Los Angeles
  • showing great enthusiasm:a big tennis fan he tells me the Inuits of the Arctic are very big on Jim Reeves
  • (big with) archaic advanced in pregnancy:my wife was big with child figurativea word big with fate
  • 2of considerable importance or seriousness:it’s a big decision Mark’s biggest problem is money he made a big mistake
  • informal holding an important position or playing an influential role:as a senior in college, he was a big man on campus
  • 3 [predic.] informal, often ironic generous:“I’m inclined to take pity on you.” “That’s big of you!”

noun

(the bigs) informal
  • the major league in a professional sport:the day he made it to the bigs, he forgot every minor league ballpark he ever played in

Phrases

big bucks

informal large amounts of money, especially as pay or profit:Emily earns big bucks on Wall Street

the big idea

chiefly ironic a clever or important intention or scheme:okay, what’s the big idea?

the big lie

a gross distortion or misrepresentation of the facts, especially when used as a propaganda device by a politician or official body.

the big screen

informal the movies:the play was adapted for the big screen

big shot

(also big noise)
informal an important or influential person.

big stick

informal the use or threat of force or power:the authorities used quiet persuasion instead of a big stick

the Big Three, (Four, etc.)

informal the dominant group of three, four, etc.:increased competition between the Big Three networks

go over big

informal have a great effect; be a success:the story went over big with the children

in a big way

informal on a large scale; with great enthusiasm:he contributed to the project in a big way they went for it in a big way

make it big

informal become very successful or famous:Simon had made it big in the financial world

talk big

informal talk boastfully or overconfidently:he talked big, blinding her with legal jargon

think big

informal be ambitious:to trade in a heavyweight world market we must think big

too big for one's britches (or breeches)

informal conceited.

Derivatives

biggish

adjective

bigness

noun

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'strong, mighty'): of unknown origin

big in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of big in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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