big Hear it!

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big definition

big (big)

adjective bigger big′·ger, biggest big′·gest

    1. of great size, extent, or capacity; large
    2. great in amount or quantity
    3. great in force or intensity a big wind
    1. full-grown
    2. elder his big sister
    1. far advanced in pregnancy (with)
    2. filled or swelling (with)
  4. loud
    1. important or outstanding to do big things
    2. very well known; famous
    3. popular; very well liked
  6. boastful; pompous; extravagant big talk
  7. ☆ generous; noble a big heart

Etymology: ME < Gmc *bugja, swollen up, thick (> bug & Norw dial. bugge, big man) < IE base *beu-, *bheu-, to blow up, swell > puck, L bucca, puffed cheek

adverb bigger big′·ger, biggest big′·gest

  1. pompously; boastfully; extravagantly to talk big
  2. impressively
  3. in a broad way; showing imagination think big!

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms big idiom

big Synonyms

big

modif.

  1. Of great size

    large, huge, great; see high 1, large 1, long 1.

  2. Grown, or partially grown

    grown-up, full-grown, adult, elder; see mature 1.

  3. Important

    prominent, significant, influential, consequential; see important 1, 2.

  4. Pompous

    presumptuous, pretentious, boastful, imperious; see egotistic 2, pompous, proud 2.

  5. Loud

    roaring, deafening, heavy; see loud 1.

  6. Generous

    magnanimous, liberal, unselfish; see generous 1, 2.

  7. With child

    gravid, parturient, expecting*; see pregnant 1.

  8. *Pompously

    pretentiously, boastfully, ostentatiously, flamboyantly; see pompously. See syn. study at large.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

big Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • too: Schedule The schedule is too big to successfully transfer to a text file - sorry.

Infinitive complement

  • accommodate: Moving home - the DIY route Make sure you hire a van big enough to accommodate your items in one trip.

Modifies a noun

  • difference: A quality pool experience can make a big difference to your earning potential.

Used with adjective complement

  • think: Now local authorities need to start ' thinking big ' .
big usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

big quotes

A boxer never sees the big one that hits him.

-Foreman, George

: Bad language or abuse, I never, never use, Whatever the emergency; Though 'Bother it' I may Occasionally say, I never use a big, big Dö : What, never? : No, never! : What never? : Well, hardly ever! : Hardly ever swears a big, big Dö Then give three cheers, and one cheer more, For the well-bred Captain of the Pinafore!

-Gilbert, Sir W(illiam) S(chwenck)

Motels can be big, but never grand.

-Heat-Moon,William Least originally  WilliamTrogdon

big quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"big." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 3 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/big>

APA Style

big. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 3rd, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/big

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