different between slight vs small
slight
English
Etymology
From Middle English slight (“bad, of poor quality, unimportant, trivial, slender, slim, smooth, level”), from Old English sliht (“smooth, level”), from Proto-Germanic *slihtaz (“slippery, flat, level, plain”), related to English slick. Cognate with Scots slicht (“bad, of poor quality”), West Frisian sljocht (“smooth, level, plain, simple”), Dutch slecht (“bad”), Low German slecht (“bad”), German schlecht (“bad”) and schlicht (“plain, artless, natural”), Danish slet (“bad, evil, poor, nasty, wrong”), Swedish slät (“smooth”), Norwegian slett (“even”), Icelandic sléttur (“even, smooth, level”).
Pronunciation
- enPR: sl?t, IPA(key): /sla?t/
- (US) IPA(key): [sl?l?????]
- Rhymes: -a?t
- Homophone: sleight
Adjective
slight (comparative slighter, superlative slightest)
- Small
- gentle or weak, not aggressive or powerful
- not thorough; superficial
- trifling; unimportant; insignificant
- 1741, John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education & of the Conduct of the Understanding
- Some firmly embrace doctrines upon slight grounds.
- 1741, John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education & of the Conduct of the Understanding
- (archaic or rare) not far away in space or time
- Synonyms: ignorable, meaningless, negligible, tiny; see also Thesaurus:tiny, Thesaurus:insignificant
- gentle or weak, not aggressive or powerful
- of slender build
- 1822, Sir Walter Scott, Peveril of the Peak
- his own figure, which was formerly so slight
- Synonyms: lithe, svelte, willowy; see also Thesaurus:slender
- 1822, Sir Walter Scott, Peveril of the Peak
- (regional) Even, smooth or level
- Synonyms: flat, glassy, slick; see also Thesaurus:smooth
- (especially said of the sea) still; with little or no movement on the surface
- (obsolete) Foolish; silly; not intellectual.
- Synonyms: daft, fatuous, soft in the head; see also Thesaurus:foolish
- (regional, obsolete) Bad, of poor quality.
- 1889 (first published), George Washington, Writings
- we frequently have slight Goods and sometimes old and unsaleable Articles
- Synonyms: flimsy, lousy, shoddy; see also Thesaurus:low-quality
- 1889 (first published), George Washington, Writings
- (dated) Slighting; treating with disdain.
- Synonyms: contemptuous, disdainful, scornful; see also Thesaurus:disdainful
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
slight (third-person singular simple present slights, present participle slighting, simple past and past participle slighted)
- (transitive) To treat as unimportant or not worthy of attention; to make light of.
- 1782, William Cowper, Truth
- the wretch who slights the bounty of the skies
- 1782, William Cowper, Truth
- (transitive) To give lesser weight or importance to.
- 1915, Josephine Turck Baker, Correct English (volumes 16-17, page 182)
- Incontiguously (accent on tig; the rest of the syllables slighted) means in an incontiguous manner.
- Synonym: belittle
- Antonyms: respect, value, esteem
- 1915, Josephine Turck Baker, Correct English (volumes 16-17, page 182)
- (transitive) To treat with disdain or neglect, usually out of prejudice, hatred, or jealousy; to ignore disrespectfully.
- 1833, Mary Shelley, The Mortal Immortal
- Though true of heart, she was somewhat of a coquette in manner; and I was jealous as a Turk. She slighted me in a thousand ways, yet would never acknowledge herself to be in the wrong. She would drive me mad with anger, and then force me to beg her pardon.
- Synonyms: contemn, despise
- Antonyms: respect, honor
- 1833, Mary Shelley, The Mortal Immortal
- (intransitive) To act negligently or carelessly. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
- (transitive, military, of a fortification) To render no longer defensible by full or partial demolition.
- (transitive) To make even or level.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Hexham to this entry?)
- (transitive) To throw heedlessly.
Derived terms
- slightingly
Translations
Noun
slight (plural slights)
- The act of slighting; a deliberate act of neglect or discourtesy.
- Synonyms: ignoring, neglect, belittlement
- Antonym: respect
- 1793, Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
- Never use a slighting expression to her, even in jest; for slights in jest, after frequent bandyings, are apt to end in angry earnest.
- (obsolete) Sleight.
- For till that stownd could never wight him harme,
By subtilty, nor slight, nor might, nor mighty charme.
- For till that stownd could never wight him harme,
Derived terms
- put a slight upon
Translations
Further reading
- The Dictionary of the Scots Language
- The Dictionary of the Scots Language
- The Middle English Dictionary
Anagrams
- lights
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old English sliht, from Proto-Germanic *slihtaz.
Alternative forms
- sli?t, slei?te, sle?t, slyght, sleght, sleight, sly?t
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /slixt/, /sl?xt/
- Rhymes: -ixt
Adjective
slight
- Level, even, smooth; having no bumps or lumps.
- (rare) Of little importance or relevance.
- (rare) Slim, narrow, skinny; of little breadth.
- (rare) Badly made, poorly-built, or low-quality.
Descendants
- English: slight
- Scots: slicht
- Yola: sleight
References
- “slight, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-12-12.
Etymology 2
Noun
slight
- Alternative form of sleight
Adjective
slight
- Alternative form of sleight
slight From the web:
- what slight means
- what light
- what lightsaber color am i
- what light from yonder window breaks
- what lights to use in fog
- what lightsaber color are you
- what light is best for sleep
- what lightsaber colors mean
small
English
Pronunciation
- (UK)
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /sm??l/
- Rhymes: -??l
- (US)
- (General American) IPA(key): /sm?l/
- (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /sm?l/
- (Canada) IPA(key): /sm?l/
- (General Australian, General New Zealand) IPA(key): /smo?l/
Etymology
From Middle English smal, from Old English smæl (“small, narrow, slender”), from Proto-Germanic *smalaz (“small”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mal-, *(s)mel- (“small, mean, malicious”). Cognate with Scots smal; sma (“small”); West Frisian smel (“narrow”); Dutch smal (“narrow”); German schmal (“narrow, small”); Danish, Norwegian, Swedish smal (“narrow; thin; slender”); Latin malus (“bad”); Russian ?????? (mályj, “small”).
Adjective
small (comparative smaller, superlative smallest)
- Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.
- (figuratively) Young, as a child.
- (writing, incomparable) Minuscule or lowercase, referring to written or printed letters.
- Envincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; paltry; mean.
- 1851, Thomas Carlyle, The Life of John Sterling
- A true delineation of the smallest man is capable of interesting the greatest man.
- 1851, Thomas Carlyle, The Life of John Sterling
- Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short.
- (archaic) Slender, gracefully slim.
Synonyms
- (not large or big): little, microscopic, minuscule, minute, tiny; see also Thesaurus:tiny
- (young, as a child): little, wee (Scottish), young
- (of written letters): lowercase, minuscule
Antonyms
- See also Thesaurus:large
- (not large or big): capital, big, generous (said of an amount of something given), large
- (young, as a child): adult, grown-up, old
- (of written letters): big, capital, majuscule, uppercase
Derived terms
Translations
Adverb
small (comparative smaller, superlative smallest)
- In a small fashion. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
- In or into small pieces.
- 2009, Ingrid Hoffman, CBS Early Morning for September 28, 2009 (transcription)
- That's going to go in there. We've got some chives small chopped as well.
- 2009, Ingrid Hoffman, CBS Early Morning for September 28, 2009 (transcription)
- (obsolete) To a small extent.
- (obsolete) In a low tone; softly.
Derived terms
- writ small
Noun
small (plural smalls)
- (rare) Any part of something that is smaller or slimmer than the rest, now usually with anatomical reference to the back.
Derived terms
- small of the back
Verb
small (third-person singular simple present smalls, present participle smalling, simple past and past participle smalled)
- (obsolete, transitive) To make little or less.
- (intransitive) To become small; to dwindle.
- 1917, Thomas Hardy, The Clock of the Years
- And smalled till she was nought at all.
- 1917, Thomas Hardy, The Clock of the Years
Anagrams
- malls
Icelandic
Verb
small (strong)
- first-person singular past indicative of smella
- third-person singular past indicative of smella
Low German
Etymology
From Middle Low German smal, from Old Saxon smal, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz. Cognate with German schmal, Dutch smal, English small.
Adjective
small (comparative smaller, superlative smallst)
- narrow
- small, slender
Declension
Middle English
Adjective
small
- Alternative form of smal
Norwegian Bokmål
Verb
small
- (non-standard since 2005) past tense of smelle
Norwegian Nynorsk
Verb
small
- past tense of smella
Swedish
Verb
small
- past tense of smälla.
Anagrams
- malls
small From the web:
- what small business to start
- what small animals eat grass
- what small pet should i get
- what small dogs don't shed
- what small dogs are hypoallergenic
- what small dogs don't bark
- what small stocks to buy today
- what small business can i start from home
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