big

 
Pronunciation: /bɪg/

adjective (bigger, biggest)

  • 1of considerable size or extent: her big hazel eyes big buildings big staff cuts
  • [attributive] larger than other items of the same kind: my big toe
  • grown-up: I’m a big girl now
  • [attributive] elder: my big sister
  • informal on an ambitiously large scale: a small company with big plans
  • [attributive] informal doing a specified action very often or on a very large scale: a big eater a big gambler
  • informal showing great enthusiasm: a big tennis fan
  • informal very popular or successful: African bands which are big in Britain
  • 2of considerable importance or seriousness: it’s a big decision his 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!’

verb (bigs, bigging, bigged)

[with object] (big something up) British informal
  • praise or recommend something highly: the record’s been on the streets a while now, but it’s certainly still worth bigging up

noun

(the bigs) North American informal
  • the major league in a professional sport.

Phrases

big with child

archaic in a late stage of pregnancy.

the Big Board

US informal the New York Stock Exchange.

big cheese

see cheese2.

Big Chief

(also Big Daddy)
informal a person in authority; the head of an organization or enterprise.

the big five

a name given by hunters to the five largest and most dangerous African mammals: rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo, lion, and leopard.

the big idea

chiefly ironic a clever or important intention or scheme: the government’s big idea was to make public services competitive

the big lie

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

big money

(chiefly North American also big bucks)
informal large amounts of money: Emily earns big bucks on Wall Street

big name

(or big noise)
informal a person who is famous in a particular sphere: he’s a big name in athletics

the big screen

informal the cinema.

big shot

informal an important or influential person.

the big stick

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

the Big Three (or Four etc.)

informal the three, four, etc., most important or powerful figures in a particular field: increased competition between the Big Three cider-makers

come (or go) over big

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

give someone the big E

British informal reject someone.
[E from elbow]

in a big way

informal to a great extent or high degree: he contributed to the film in a big way

make it big

informal become very successful or famous.

talk big

informal talk boastfully or overconfidently: Henry was new to the job but he was already talking big

think big

informal be ambitious.

too big for one's boots (or dated breeches)

informal conceited.

Derivatives

biggish

adjective

bigness

noun

Origin:

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