Big

Pronunciation

• enPR: bÄ­g, IPA: /bɪɡ/
• Rhymes: -ɪɡ

From a northern Middle English dialectal term big, bigge ("powerful, strong"), of uncertain origin, possibly from a dialect of Old Norse. Compare dialectal Norwegian bugge ("great man").

Full definition of big

Adjective

1. Of great size, large.
• 2013-07-06, The rise of smart beta, Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.
2. Elephants are big animals, and they eat a lot.
3. (of an industry or other field) Thought to have undue influence.
   There were concerns about the ethics of big science.
4. Popular.
   That style is very big right now in Europe, especially among teenagers.
5. (informal) Adult.
   Kids should get help from big people if they want to use the kitchen.
• 1931, Robert L. May, Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Montgomery Ward (publisher), draft:By midnight, however, the last light had fled
  For even big people have then gone to bed.
6. (informal) Fat.
   Gosh, she is big!
7. (informal) Important or significant.
• 2011, October 29, Neil Johnston, Norwich 3-3 Blackburn, It proved a big miss as Hoilett produced a sublime finish into the top corner of the net from 20 yards after evading a couple of challenges in first-half stoppage time.
8. What's so big about that? I do it all the time.
9. (informal, with on) Enthusiastic (about).
   I'm not big on the idea, but if you want to go ahead with it, I won't stop you.
10. (informal) Mature, conscientious, principled.
    That's very big of you, thank you!
    I tried to be the bigger person and just let it go, but I couldn't help myself.
11. (informal) Well-endowed, possessing large breasts in the case of a woman or a large penis in the case of a man.
    Whoa, Nadia has gotten pretty big since she hit puberty.
12. (sometimes figurative) Large with young; pregnant; swelling; ready to give birth or produce.She was big with child.
• AddisonDay big with the fate of Cato and of Rome.

Synonyms

• (of a great size) ample, huge, large, sizeable, stoor, jumbo, massive
• (adult) adult, fully grown, grown up

Antonyms

• (of a great size) little, small, tiny, minuscule, miniature, minute
• (adult) little, young

Derived terms

Adverb

1. In a loud manner.
2. In a boasting manner.He's always talking big, but he never delivers.
3. In a large amount or to a large extent.He won big betting on the croquet championship.
4. On a large scale, expansivelyYou've got to think big to succeed at Amalgamated Plumbing.
5. Hard.He hit him big and the guy just crumpled.

Noun

1. An important or powerful person; a celebrity; a big name.
2. (as plural) The big leagues, big time.
• 2004, June 23, Michelle Boorstein, Ballclub^s Pullout Caps Va. Town^s Run of Woes; Struggling Martinsville No Longer Celebrates Its Boys of Summer, In the Appalachian League, where Cal Ripken once played in Bluefield, W.Va., a ballplayer's chances of making it to the bigs are less than one in six.

Synonyms

• (big leagues) major leagues

Verb

1. (transitive) To praise or recommend

From Middle English biggen, byggen, from Old Norse byggja, byggva ("to build, dwell in, inhabit"), a secondary form of Old Norse búa ("to dwell"), related to Old English būan ("to dwell"). Cognate with Danish bygge, Swedish bygga.

Verb

1. (transitive, archaic or UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) to inhabit; occupy
2. (reflexive, archaic or UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) to locate one's self
3. (transitive, archaic or UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) to build; erect; fashion
4. (intransitive, archaic or UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) to dwell; have a dwelling

From Middle English byge, from Old Norse bygg ("barley, probably Hordeum vulgare, common barley"), from Proto-Germanic *bewwuz ("crop, barley"). Cognate with Old English bēow ("barley").

Alternative forms

• bigg
• bygg, bygge obsolete

Noun

1. One or more kinds of barley, especially six-rowed barley.

Anagrams

• GBI, gib