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little by little

 - 5 dictionary results

lit⋅tle

  [lit-l] adjective, lit⋅tler or less or less⋅er, lit⋅tlest or least, adverb, less, least, noun
Use little by little in a Sentence
–adjective
1. small in size; not big; not large; tiny: a little desk in the corner of the room.
2. short in duration; not extensive; short; brief: a little while.
3. small in number: a little group of scientists.
4. small in amount or degree; not much: little hope.
5. of a certain amount; appreciable (usually prec. by a): We're having a little difficulty.
6. being such on a small scale: little farmers.
7. younger or youngest: He's my little brother.
8. not strong, forceful, or loud; weak: a little voice.
9. small in consideration, importance, position, affluence, etc.: little discomforts; tax reductions to help the little fellow.
10. mean, narrow, or illiberal: a little mind.
11. endearingly small or considered as such: Bless your little heart!
12. amusingly small or so considered: a funny little way of laughing.
13. contemptibly small, petty, mean, etc., or so considered: filthy little political tricks.
–adverb
14. not at all (used before a verb): He little knows what awaits him.
15. in only a small amount or degree; not much; slightly: a little known work of art; little better than a previous effort.
16. seldom; rarely; infrequently: We see each other very little.
–noun
17. a small amount, quantity, or degree: They did little to make him comfortable. If you want some ice cream, there's a little in the refrigerator.
18. a short distance: It's down the road a little.
19. a short time: Stay here for a little.
—Idioms
20. in little, on a small scale; in miniature: a replica in little of Independence Hall.
21. little by little, by small degrees; gradually: The water level rose little by little.
22. make little of,
a. belittle: to make little of one's troubles.
b. to understand or interpret only slightly: Scholars made little of the newly discovered text.
23. not a little, to a great extent; very much; considerably: It tired me not a little to stand for three hours.
24. think little of, to treat casually; regard as trivial: They think little of driving 50 miles to see a movie.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME, OE lȳtel (lȳt few, small + -el dim. suffix), c. D luttel, OHG luzzil, ON lītill

Related forms:
lit⋅tlish  [lit-l-ish, lit-lish] , adjective
lit⋅tle⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1–4. tiny, teeny, wee. Little, diminutive, minute, small refer to that which is not large or significant. Little (the opposite of big) is very general, covering size, extent, number, quantity, amount, duration, or degree: a little boy; a little time. Small (the opposite of large and of great) can many times be used interchangeably with little, but is especially applied to what is limited or below the average in size: small oranges. Diminutive denotes (usually physical) size that is much less than the average or ordinary; it may suggest delicacy: the baby's diminutive fingers; diminutive in size but autocratic in manner. Minute suggests that which is so tiny it is difficult to discern, or that which implies attentiveness to the smallest details: a minute quantity; a minute exam.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To little by little
lit·tle   (lĭt'l)   
adj.   lit·tler or less (lěs) also less·er (lěs'ər), lit·tlest or least (lēst)

  1. Small in size: a little dining room. See Synonyms at small.

  2. Short in extent or duration; brief: There is little time left.

  3. Small in quantity or degree: little money.

  4. Unimportant; trivial: a little matter.

  5. Narrow; petty: mean little comments; a little mind consumed with trivia.

  6. Without much power or influence; of minor status.

    1. Being at an early stage of growth; young: a little child.

    2. Younger or youngest. Used especially of a sibling: My little brother is leaving for college next week.

adv.   less or lesser, least

  1. Not much; scarcely: works long hours, sleeping little.

  2. Not in the least; not at all: They little expected such a generous gift.

n.  

  1. A small quantity or amount: Give me a little.

  2. Something much less than all: I know little of their history.

  3. A short distance or time: a little down the road; waited a little.


[Middle English, from Old English lȳtel.]
lit'tle·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

little 
O.E. lytel (related to lyt "little, few," from P.Gmc. *luti), from W.Gmc. *lutila- (cf. Du. luttel, O.H.G. luzzil, Ger. lützel, Goth. leitils), from PIE *leud- "small." "Often synonymous with small, but capable of emotional implications which small is not" [OED]. Phrase the little woman "wife" attested from 1795. Little people "the faeries" is from 1726; as "children," it is attested from 1752; as "ordinary people" it is attested from 1827. Little Neck clams (1884) are so called for Little Neck, Long Island, a "neck" of land on the island's North Shore. Little by little is from 1483 (litylle be litille).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: lit·tle
Pronunciation: 'lit-&l
Function: adjective
Inflected Form: lit·tler /'lit-&l-&r,'lit-l&r/ or less /'les/ or les·ser /'les-&r/; lit·tlest /'lit-&l-&st,'lit-l&st/ or least /'lEst/
: not big: as a : small in size or extent little feet> b of a plant oranimal : small in comparison with related forms —used in vernacular names
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Idioms & Phrases

little by little

see bit by bit.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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