little

adjective

• small in size, amount, or degree (often used to convey an appealing diminutiveness or express an affectionate or condescending attitude):the plants will grow into little bushes a little puppy dog a boring little man
• (of a person) young or younger:my little brother when she was little she was always getting into scrapes
• [attributive] denoting something, especially a place, that is the smaller or smallest of those so named or is named after a similar larger one:the village of Little Chesterton
• [attributive] used in names of animals and plants that are smaller than related kinds, e.g. little grebe.
• [attributive] of short distance or duration:stay for a little while we climbed up a little way
• [attributive] relatively unimportant or trivial (often used ironically):we have a little problem I can’t remember every little detail

determiner & pronoun

• 1 (a little) a small amount of: [as determiner]:we got a little help from a training scheme [as pronoun]:you only see a little of what he can do
• [pronoun] a short time or distance:after a little, the rain stopped

• 2used to emphasize how small an amount is: [as determiner]:I have little doubt of their identity there was very little time to be lost [as pronoun]:he ate and drank very little the rouble is worth so little these days

adverb (less, least)

• 1 (a little) to a small extent:he reminded me a little of my parents I was always a little afraid of her

• 2only to a small extent; not much or often (used for emphasis):he was little known in this country he had slept little these past weeks
• hardly or not at all:little did he know what wheels he was putting into motion