Big definition | Dictionary.com

big

1 [big]

adjective, big⋅ger, big⋅gest, adverb, noun

–adjective

1.	large, as in size, height, width, or amount: a big house; a big quantity.

2.	of major concern, importance, gravity, or the like: a big problem.

3.	outstanding for a specified quality: a big liar; a big success.

4.	important, as in influence, standing, or wealth: a big man in his field.

5.	grown-up; mature: big enough to know better.

6.	elder: my big sister.

7.	doing business or conducted on a large scale; major in size or importance: big government.

8.	consisting of the largest or most influential companies in an industry: Big steel wants to lower prices, but the smaller mills don't.

9.	Informal. known or used widely; popular: Nouvelle cuisine became big in the 1970s.

10.	magnanimous; generous; kindly: big enough to forgive.

11.	boastful; pompous; pretentious; haughty: a big talker.

12.	loud; orotund: a big voice.

13.	(of clothing or a clothing design) made of or distinguished by voluminous fabric that is loosely or softly shaped and fitted: a big shirt; the big look.

14.	(of a wine) having more than average flavor, body, and alcoholic content.

15.	filled; brimming: eyes big with tears.

16.	Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. pregnant.

17.	Obsolete. very strong; powerful.

–adverb

18.	Informal. boastfully; pretentiously: to act big; to talk big.

19.	Informal. with great success; successfully: to go over big.

–noun

20.	the bigs, Sports Slang. the highest level of professional competition, as the major leagues in baseball.

—Idioms

21.	be big on, to have a special liking or enthusiasm for: Mother is big on family get-togethers.

22.	big with child. great (def. 23).

Origin:
1250–1300; ME big(ge) < ?

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Language Translation for : Big

Spanish:

grande,

German:

groß,

Japanese:

大きい

View 30 other languages »

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big

2 [big]

–verb (used with object), bigged, big⋅ging. British Dialect.

to build.

Also, bigg.

Origin:
1150–1200; ME biggen orig., to inhabit < ON byggja to inhabit, c. OE bū(i)an, G bauen

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

big

3 [big]

–noun Scot. and North England.

bigg ¹ .

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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big (bĭg) Pronunciation Key
adj. big·ger, big·gest

Of considerable size, number, quantity, magnitude, or extent; large. See Synonyms at large.
1. Of great force; strong: a big wind; in a big rage.
2. Obsolete Of great strength.
3. Mature or grown-up: big enough to take the bus by herself.
4. Older or eldest. Used especially of a sibling: My big brother is leaving for college next week.
1. Mature or grown-up: big enough to take the bus by herself.
2. Older or eldest. Used especially of a sibling: My big brother is leaving for college next week.
Pregnant: big with child.
Filled up; brimming over: felt big with love.
Having or exercising considerable authority, control, or influence: a big official; a big chief.
Conspicuous in position, wealth, or importance; prominent: a big figure in the peace movement.
Of great significance; momentous: a big decision; a big victory.
Informal Widely liked, used, or practiced; popular: "For public opinion . . . has grown harsh and yuppie-bashing is big" (Sally Jacobs).
Informal Self-important; cocky: You're too big for your own good.
Loud and firm; resounding: a big voice.
Bountiful; generous: had a big heart.

adv.

In a pretentious or boastful way: talked big about the new job.
Informal
1. With considerable success: made it big with their recent best-selling album.
2. In a thorough or unmistakable way; emphatically: failed big at the box office.

[Middle English, perhaps of Scandinavian origin.]

big'gish adj., big'ly adv., big'ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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big

c.1300, northern England dialect, "powerful, strong," of unknown origin, possibly from a Scand. source (cf. Norwegian dial. bugge "great man"). Meaning "of great size" is c.1386; that of "grown up" is attested from 1552. Sense of "important" is from 1577. Bigass (adj.) is 1940s military slang. Bigwig is from 1781, from the large wigs formerly worn by men of importance. Big band as a musical style is from 1926; Big Bang in astrophysics theory popularized (and possibly coined) by Brit. astronomer Fred Hoyle in a 1950 book. Slang big head "conceit" is first recorded 1850. Big business is 1905; big house "penitentiary" is U.S. underworld slang first attested 1915 (in London, "a workhouse," 1851). In financial journalism, big ticket items so called from 1956.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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big
adjective
1.	above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent; "a large city"; "set out for the big city"; "a large sum"; "a big (or large) barn"; "a large family"; "big businesses"; "a big expenditure"; "a large number of newspapers"; "a big group of scientists"; "large areas of the world" [syn: large] [ant: little]
2.	significant; "graduation was a big day in his life"
3.	very intense; "a bad headache"; "in a big rage"; "had a big (or bad) shock"; "a bad earthquake"; "a bad storm" [syn: bad]
4.	loud and firm; "a big voice"; "big bold piano sounds"
5.	conspicuous in position or importance; "a big figure in the movement"; "big man on campus"; "he's very large in financial circles"; "a prominent citizen"
6.	prodigious; "big spender"; "big eater"; "heavy investor"
7.	exhibiting self-importance; "big talk" [syn: boastful]
8.	feeling self-importance; "too big for his britches"; "had a swelled head"; "he was swelled with pride"
9.	(of animals) fully developed; "an adult animal"; "a grown woman" [syn: adult]
10.	marked by intense physical force; "a big wind"
11.	generous and understanding and tolerant; "a heart big enough to hold no grudges"; "that's very big of you to be so forgiving"; "a large and generous spirit"; "a large heart"; "magnanimous toward his enemies"
12.	given or giving freely; "was a big tipper"; "the bounteous goodness of God"; "bountiful compliments"; "a freehanded host"; "a handsome allowance"; "Saturday's child is loving and giving"; "a liberal backer of the arts"; "a munificent gift"; "her fond and openhanded grandfather"
13.	in an advanced stage of pregnancy; "was big with child"; "was great with child"
adverb
1.	extremely well; "his performance went over big"
2.	in a boastful manner; "he talked big all evening" [syn: boastfully]
3.	on a grand scale; "think big" [ant: small]
4.	in a major way; "the play failed big at the box office"

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Cite This Source

big

In addition to the idioms beginning with big, also see go over big; great (big) guns; hit it big; in a big way; little frog in a big pond; make a federal case (big deal); talk big; think big; too big for one's breeches; what's the (big) idea. Also see under bigger.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Big Wells, TX (city, FIPS 8260) Location: 28.56952 N, 99.57004 W
Population (1990): 756 (341 housing units)
Area: 1.4 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 78830

Big Rock, IL Zip code(s): 60511

Big Rock, IA Zip code(s): 52745

Big River, CA (CDP, FIPS 6635) Location: 34.14010 N, 114.36055 W
Population (1990): 705 (794 housing units)
Area: 27.2 sq km (land), 1.3 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 92242

Big Rapids, MI (city, FIPS 8300) Location: 43.70388 N, 85.48626 W
Population (1990): 12603 (3548 housing units)
Area: 15.4 sq km (land), 0.4 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 49307

Big Pool, MD Zip code(s): 21711

Big Pine, CA (CDP, FIPS 6616) Location: 37.16545 N, 118.29539 W
Population (1990): 1158 (579 housing units)
Area: 6.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 93513

Big Otter, WV Zip code(s): 25113

Big Laurel, KY Zip code(s): 40808

Big Lake, MN (city, FIPS 5752) Location: 45.33660 N, 93.74656 W
Population (1990): 3113 (1264 housing units)
Area: 5.5 sq km (land), 1.8 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 55309

Big Island, VA Zip code(s): 24526

Big Rock, KY Zip code(s): 41777

Big Rock, TN Zip code(s): 37023

Big Water, UT (town, FIPS 5534) Location: 37.06851 N, 111.66159 W
Population (1990): 326 (173 housing units)
Area: 15.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 84741

Big Timber, MT (city, FIPS 6475) Location: 45.83410 N, 109.95061 W
Population (1990): 1557 (771 housing units)
Area: 2.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 59011

Big Sur, CA Zip code(s): 93920

Big Springs, NE (village, FIPS 4895) Location: 41.06341 N, 102.07465 W
Population (1990): 495 (224 housing units)
Area: 1.0 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 69122

Big Spring, MD Zip code(s): 21722

Big Spring, KY Zip code(s): 40106

Big Sandy, TX (town, FIPS 8224) Location: 32.58569 N, 95.11258 W
Population (1990): 1185 (537 housing units)
Area: 4.0 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 75755

Big Sandy, TN (town, FIPS 5860) Location: 36.23267 N, 88.08575 W
Population (1990): 505 (289 housing units)
Area: 1.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 38221

Big Sandy, MT (town, FIPS 6250) Location: 48.17890 N, 110.11288 W
Population (1990): 740 (361 housing units)
Area: 1.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 59520

Big Run, WV Zip code(s): 26561

Big Prairie, OH Zip code(s): 44611

Big Flats, NY (CDP, FIPS 6464) Location: 42.14233 N, 76.93045 W
Population (1990): 2658 (967 housing units)
Area: 10.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 14814

Big Creek, MS (village, FIPS 6060) Location: 33.84334 N, 89.41573 W
Population (1990): 123 (62 housing units)
Area: 2.9 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 38914

Big Creek, KY Zip code(s): 40914

Big Cove, AL Zip code(s): 35763

Big Clifty, KY Zip code(s): 42712

Big Chimney, WV Zip code(s): 25302

Big Cabin, OK (town, FIPS 5900) Location: 36.53739 N, 95.22199 W
Population (1990): 271 (116 housing units)
Area: 4.9 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 74332

Big Bend, WV Zip code(s): 26136

Big Bend, WI (village, FIPS 7200) Location: 42.88230 N, 88.20408 W
Population (1990): 1299 (425 housing units)
Area: 1.9 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 53103

Big Bend, LA Zip code(s): 71318

Big Creek, WV Zip code(s): 25505

Big Falls, MN (city, FIPS 5680) Location: 48.18507 N, 93.80820 W
Population (1990): 341 (184 housing units)
Area: 15.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 56627

Big Flat, AR (town, FIPS 5980) Location: 36.00577 N, 92.40500 W
Population (1990): 93 (61 housing units)
Area: 2.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 72617

Big Arm, MT Zip code(s): 59910

Big Bar, CA Zip code(s): 96010

Big Lake, MO (village, FIPS 5495) Location: 40.07414 N, 95.35147 W
Population (1990): 170 (434 housing units)
Area: 4.4 sq km (land), 2.5 sq km (water)

Big Lake, AK (CDP, FIPS 7070) Location: 61.52142 N, 149.95440 W
Population (1990): 1477 (1933 housing units)
Area: 345.0 sq km (land), 33.6 sq km (water)

Big Delta, AK (CDP, FIPS 6850) Location: 64.13992 N, 145.76211 W
Population (1990): 400 (179 housing units)
Area: 48.1 sq km (land), 3.9 sq km (water)

Big Spring, TX (city, FIPS 8236) Location: 32.23998 N, 101.47890 W
Population (1990): 23093 (9876 housing units)
Area: 49.3 sq km (land), 0.3 sq km (water)

Big Beaver, PA (borough, FIPS 6240) Location: 40.81834 N, 80.36358 W
Population (1990): 2298 (889 housing units)
Area: 46.2 sq km (land), 0.5 sq km (water)

Big Run, PA (borough, FIPS 6344) Location: 40.96988 N, 78.87809 W
Population (1990): 699 (326 housing units)
Area: 1.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

Big Lake, TX (city, FIPS 8212) Location: 31.19375 N, 101.45844 W
Population (1990): 3672 (1306 housing units)
Area: 3.2 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

Big Piney, WY (town, FIPS 7060) Location: 42.54103 N, 110.11712 W
Population (1990): 454 (219 housing units)
Area: 1.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

Big Falls, WI (village, FIPS 7250) Location: 44.61950 N, 89.01686 W
Population (1990): 75 (50 housing units)
Area: 1.3 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water)

Big Park, AZ (CDP, FIPS 6015) Location: 34.78018 N, 111.76183 W
Population (1990): 3024 (1924 housing units)
Area: 11.9 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

Big Stone City, SD (city, FIPS 5540) Location: 45.29516 N, 96.46437 W
Population (1990): 669 (323 housing units)
Area: 3.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 57216

Big Pine Key, FL (CDP, FIPS 6425) Location: 24.68693 N, 81.36615 W
Population (1990): 4206 (2453 housing units)
Area: 25.3 sq km (land), 0.5 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 33043

Big Bend Nationa, TX Zip code(s): 79834

Big Bear City, CA (CDP, FIPS 6406) Location: 34.26634 N, 116.84553 W
Population (1990): 4920 (4670 housing units)
Area: 9.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 92314

Big Cove Tannery, PA Zip code(s): 17212

Big Stone Gap, VA (town, FIPS 7480) Location: 36.86003 N, 82.77792 W
Population (1990): 4748 (1993 housing units)
Area: 12.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 24219

Big Bear Lake, CA (city, FIPS 6434) Location: 34.24369 N, 116.89448 W
Population (1990): 5351 (8564 housing units)
Area: 16.2 sq km (land), 0.4 sq km (water)

Big Stone County, MN (county, FIPS 11) Location: 45.42682 N, 96.41312 W
Population (1990): 6285 (3192 housing units)
Area: 1287.2 sq km (land), 80.1 sq km (water)

Big Coppitt Key, FL (CDP, FIPS 6350) Location: 24.59623 N, 81.66032 W
Population (1990): 2388 (1257 housing units)
Area: 3.6 sq km (land), 1.1 sq km (water)

Big Horn County, MT (county, FIPS 3) Location: 45.42945 N, 107.48976 W
Population (1990): 11337 (4304 housing units)
Area: 12936.7 sq km (land), 51.4 sq km (water)

Big Flats Airport, NY (CDP, FIPS 6480) Location: 42.17101 N, 76.88983 W
Population (1990): 2248 (749 housing units)
Area: 30.3 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water)

Big Horn County, WY (county, FIPS 3) Location: 44.52553 N, 107.98750 W
Population (1990): 10525 (5048 housing units)
Area: 8125.2 sq km (land), 56.9 sq km (water)

Groveland-Big Oak Flat, CA (CDP, FIPS 31375) Location: 37.84554 N, 120.19642 W
Population (1990): 2753 (2420 housing units)
Area: 56.6 sq km (land), 0.7 sq km (water)

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau
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Big

Big\, a. [Compar. Bigger; superl. Biggest.] [Perh. from Celtic; cf. W. beichiog, beichiawg, pregnant, with child, fr. baich burden, Arm. beac'h; or cf. OE. bygly, Icel. biggiligr, (properly) habitable; (then) magnigicent, excellent, fr. OE. biggen, Icel. byggja, to dwell, build, akin to E. be.]

1. Having largeness of size; of much bulk or magnitude; of great size; large. "He's too big to go in there." --Shak.

2. Great with young; pregnant; swelling; ready to give birth or produce; -- often figuratively.

[Day] big with the fate of Cato and of Rome. --Addison.

3. Having greatness, fullness, importance, inflation, distention, etc., whether in a good or a bad sense; as, a big heart; a big voice; big looks; to look big. As applied to looks, it indicates haughtiness or pride.

God hath not in heaven a bigger argument. --Jer. Taylor.

Note: Big is often used in self-explaining compounds; as, big-boned; big-sounding; big-named; big-voiced.

To talk big, to talk loudly, arrogantly, or pretentiously.

I talked big to them at first. --De Foe.

Syn: Bulky; large; great; massive; gross.

Big

Big\, Bigg \Bigg\, n. [OE. bif, bigge; akin to Icel. bygg, Dan. byg, Sw. bjugg.] (Bot.) Barley, especially the hardy four-rowed kind.

"Bear interchanges in local use, now with barley, now with bigg." --New English Dict.

Big

Big\, Bigg \Bigg\, v. t. [OE. biggen, fr. Icel. byggja to inhabit, to build, b?a (neut.) to dwell (active) to make ready. See Boor, and Bound.] To build. [Scot. & North of Eng. Dial.] --Sir W. Scott.

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