great

 
Pronunciation: /greɪt/

adjective

  • 1of an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above average: the article was of great interest she showed great potential as an actor
  • [attributive] used to reinforce another adjective of size or extent: a great big grin
  • (also greater) [attributive] used in names of animals or plants which are larger than similar kinds, e.g. great tit, greater celandine.
  • (Great) [attributive, in place names] denoting the larger or largest part of a place: Great Malvern
  • (Greater) [attributive] (of a city) including adjacent urban areas: Greater Manchester
  • 2of ability, quality, or eminence considerably above average: the great Italian conductor great art has the power to change lives
  • [attributive] important or most important: the great day arrived the great thing is the challenge
  • (the Great) used as a title to denote the most important person of the name: Alexander the Great
  • impressive or grand: the great Victorian house
  • informal very good; excellent: another great goal from Alan wouldn’t it be great to have him back? [as exclamation]: ‘Great!’ said Tom
  • informal (of a person) very skilled in a particular area: she’s great at French
  • 3 [attributive] used before a noun to emphasize a particular description of someone or something: I was a great fan of Hank’s her great friend Joe
  • used to express surprise, admiration, or contempt, especially in exclamations: you great oaf!
  • 4 [in combination] (in names of family relationships) denoting one degree further removed upwards or downwards: great-aunt great-great-grandfather
  • 5 [predic.] Irish (of two people) on very close or intimate terms: one of the boys was very great with her

noun

  • 1an important or distinguished person: the Beatles, Bob Dylan, all the greats (as plural noun the great) the lives of the great, including Churchill and Newton

adverb

informal
  • very well; excellently: we played awful, they played great

Phrases

the great and the good

often ironic distinguished and worthy people collectively: an impressive gathering of the great and the good

great and small

of all sizes, classes, or types: all creatures great and small

a great deal

see deal1

a great many

see many

a great one for

a habitual doer of; an enthusiast for: my father was a great one for buying gadgets

Great Scott!

dated expressing surprise or amazement: Great Scott! You scored two hundred and seventy-three!
[arbitrary euphemism for Great God!]

to a great extent

in a substantial way; largely: we are all to a great extent the product of our culture

Origin:

Old English grēat 'big', of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch groot and German gross

Do not confuse grate with great. Grate means 'shred food' ( grate the cheese into a bowl) or 'a metal fireplace frame', whereas great means 'very big, important, etc.' ( a great achievement for British science).