small potatoes (US)

Anything of no great worth

the potato or the clean potato (informal)

The right thing

small /smöl/

adjective

1. Little in size, extent, quantity, value, power, importance, or degree
2. Young
3. Slender
4. Narrow
5. Fine in grain, texture, gauge, etc
6. Unimposing, humble
7. (of thought or action) ungenerous, petty, ignoble
8. Short of the full standard
9. Dilute
10. Operating on no great scale
11. Soft or gentle in sound
12. Minor

noun

1. A small thing, portion or piece
2. The narrow part (esp of the back)
3. Small-coal
4. (in pl) small-clothes
5. (in pl; euphemistic and joc) underclothes
6. (in pl) formerly at Oxford, the examination called responsions (corresponding to little go at Cambridge)
7. A size of roofing slate, 12×8in (305×203mm)

adverb

1. In a low tone
2. Gently
3. Into small pieces
4. On a small scale
5. Only slightly (Shakespeare)

transitive verb and intransitive verb (rare)

To make or become small

smallˈish adjective

smallˈness noun

small ads plural noun

Classified advertisements

small ale noun

Ale made with little malt and no hops

smallˈ-and-earlˈy noun (informal; Dickens, etc)

An informal evening party

small arm noun

(usu in pl) a weapon that can be carried by a person, esp a handgun or short weapon

small beer see under beer¹

smallˈ-bore adjective

(of a firearm) having a barrel with a small bore, of a calibre not more than .22in

small calorie see calorie

small capitals (informal small caps) plural noun

Capital letters of the height of lower case

small change noun

1. Coins of low value
2. Hence, someone or something of little importance

small chop noun (W Afr)

Snacks served with drinks

small circle see under circle

small claims plural noun

Claims for small amounts of money (in England and Wales up to £5000, in Northern Ireland up to £2000, in Scotland up to £750) that can be dealt with through a simpler legal procedure than larger claims

smallˈ-clothes plural noun

Knee-breeches, esp those of the close-fitting 18c form

smallˈ-coal noun

Coal in small pieces

small craft noun

Small vessels generally

smallest room noun (euphemistic)

A lavatory, esp in a house

small fry noun

1. A small person
2. An unimportant or insignificant person (or people)

small goods plural noun (Aust and NZ)

Cooked meat products, such as sausages

smallˈ-hand noun

Writing such as is ordinarily used in correspondence

smallˈholder noun

smallˈholding noun

1. A holding of land smaller than an ordinary farm, esp one provided by the local authority
2. The working of such land

small hours plural noun

The hours immediately after midnight

small intestine see intestine

small lady noun

A size of roofing slate, 14×12in (356×305mm)

small letter noun

(usu in pl) a lower-case letter

small-mindˈed adjective

Petty

small-mindˈedly adverb

small-mindˈedness noun

smallˈmouth noun

A N American freshwater fish (Micropterus dolomieu)

small pica see under pica¹

smallˈ-pipes plural noun

The form of bagpipes played esp in S Scotland and N England, smaller than the Highland bagpipes and with the bag inflated by bellows under the arm rather than by air from the lungs

small potatoes plural noun (orig N American)

Someone or something (esp a sum of money) of little importance, value, significance, etc

smallˈpox noun

(orig pl) a contagious, febrile disease, characterized by fever and pockmarks on the skin

small print noun

Details of a contract, insurance policy, etc, the small type having a tendency to obscure limitations or legal rights

smallˈsat noun (informal)

A relatively small, inexpensive communications satellite

smallˈ-scale adjective

1. (of maps, models, etc) representing a large area without giving fine detail
2. (of a business enterprise) having a limited size and scope

small screen noun

Television

smallˈ-screen adjective

small sword noun

A light thrusting sword for fencing or duelling

small talk noun

Light or trifling conversation

smallˈ-time adjective (informal)

1. Unimportant
2. Insignificant

small-timˈer noun

small-tooth comb noun

1. A comb with a row of fine teeth on each side
2. An arrangement for minute investigation (figurative)

smallˈ-town adjective

1. Provincial, petty
2. Naïve, unsophisticated

small wares plural noun

1. Small articles such as tape, braid, buttons and hooks
2. Trifles

by small and small (Shakespeare)

Little by little

feel small

To feel insignificant, cheap, ashamed, etc

in a small way

1. With little capital or stock
2. Unostentatiously, on a small scale

in small

On a small scale

in the smallest (Shakespeare)

In the least

look small

1. To look silly or insignificant
2. To be snubbed