big dealn.
/ˌbɪɡ ˈdiːl/, U.S. /ˈˌbɪɡ ˈdil/ Originally U.S.
1. An important business transaction or contract.
ΚΠ
a1902 F. Norris Pit (1903) ix. 340 ‘You and he had a big deal on your hands a long time ago,’ he continued,..‘A big deal, and you sold him out—’ ‘It's a lie!’ cried the other.
1928 Z. Grey Nevada xvi. 279 ‘Are you open to a big deal?’ queried the rustler bluntly.
1949 A. Miller Death of Salesman ii. 100 My brother..pulled off a big deal today. I think we're going into business together.
2004 S. McKittrick in G. Jolliffe & C. Jones Guerilla Film Makers Handbk. (new ed.) x. 647 We had a meeting with Ben Stiller's company which had a big deal with New Line at the time.
2.
a. Something considered important; a cause for excitement or concern. Frequently in negative contexts.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > [interjection]
say?a1832
big deal1943
the mind > emotion > excitement > exciting > [interjection]
big deal1943
1943 School & Society 58 169/2 Big deal, an uncalled-for action.
1951 J. D. Salinger Catcher in Rye i. 6 The game with Saxon Hall was supposed to be a very big deal around Pencey.
1972 G. Lucas et al. Amer. Graffiti (film script) 86 No big deal. Budda.
1989 D. Semenko Looking Out Number One xi. 99 What's the big deal about going into a different building?
2007 N.Y. Times Mag. 4 Feb. 44/1 A more laid-back dog that says, ‘If you don't feel like taking me for a walk, no big deal.’
b. Used as an ironical exclamation to express one's contempt for something regarded as impressive or important by another person.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > [noun] > action of expressing contempt > vocally > specific utterance
blurt1579
puff1579
pish1593
pooh1593
tush1600
hiss1602
mew1606
pshaw1712
pooh pooh1798
poof1864
razoo1888
raspberry1890
razz1917
razzberry1920
Bronx cheer1929
big deal1949
1949 S. Kingsley Detective Story ii. 85 She's afraid this might crimp her chances to be the next Mrs. Forbes... Big deal!
1966 ‘S. Harvester’ Treacherous Road ii. 22 So, I can charge an evening's entertainment to business expenses. Oh, big deal. Carry on.
1982 P. Redmond Brookside (Mersey TV transmission script) (O.E.D. Archive) Episode 3. 9 Annabelle. Daddy's going to give you a lift. Lucy. Big deal.
2006 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 8 Aug. 67 ‘Your trial is next week.’ ‘Big deal!’
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.a1902