Pronunciations
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/bɪɡ/
Adjective
Of great size, large.
- Examples
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They live in a big house.
Elephants are big animals, and they eat a lot.
More examples (3)
The big houses, and there are a good many of them, lie for the most part in what may be called by courtesy the valleys. You catch a glimpse of them sometimes at a little distance from the [railway] line,[…], with their court of farm and church and clustered village, in dignified seclusion.
Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return. […] When a company’s share price rises faster than the rest of the market, this means that it has a bigger weight in a traditional index.
Out of the 484 Utah water systems that reported data in 2024, only 66 fluoridated their water, an Associated Press analysis showed. The largest was the state’s biggest city, Salt Lake City.
Of great size, large. Fat.
Usage- Informal
- Examples
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Gosh, she is big!
Large with young; pregnant; swelling; ready to give birth or produce.
Usage- Figurative
- sometimes
- Examples
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She was big with child.
The Dawn is over-caſt, the Morning low’rs, And heavily in Clouds brings on the Day, The great, th’ important Day; big with the Fate Of Cato and of Rome.
Well-endowed; with a desired body part notably large. Specifically, big-breasted.
Usage- Informal
- Synonyms
Well-endowed; with a desired body part notably large. Having a large penis.
Usage- Informal
- Examples
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I'm the shortest man on the team but in the gym shower everyone can see that I'm also the biggest.
Well-endowed; with a desired body part notably large. Having large muscles, especially visible ones such as the chest and arm muscles.
Usage- Informal
- Examples
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I've been lifting weights for a full year now, but I'm finally getting big.
Adult; (of a child) older.
Usage- Informal
- Synonyms
- Examples
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My big sister is at university.
Kids should get help from big people if they want to use the kitchen.
We were just playing, and then some big kids came and chased us away.
More examples (3)
She did it all on her own like a big girl.
By midnight, however, the last light had fled / For even big people have then gone to bed[.]
Uh oh ... that looks like one of those things the big people don't want us to touch, Marvin!
Adult; (of a child) older. Old, mature. Used to imply that someone is too old for something, or acting immaturely.
Usage- Informal
- Rare
- Slang
- of someone's age
- Examples
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I don't think so, if you're shouting at people across the playground at your big age.
Mature, conscientious, principled; generous.
Usage- Informal
- Examples
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That's very big of you; thank you!
I tried to be the bigger person and just let it go, but I couldn't help myself.
More examples (1)
So the bloke says, 'Fine, that's real big of you, much appreciated,' and off he goes with Big John back to Ferrari's.
Important or significant.
Usage- Informal
- Examples
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What's so big about that? I do it all the time.
More examples (4)
"I was dragged up at the workhouse school till I was twelve. Then I ran away and sold papers in the streets, and anything else that I could pick up a few coppers by—except steal. I never did that. I always made up my mind I'd be a big man some day, and—I'm glad I didn't steal."
The great game of golf offered an antidote to the inevitable dead space — blocks of difficult-to-use hours, pre- and postflight — that are one of business travel’s biggest drags.
It proved a big miss as Hoilett produced a sublime finish into the top corner of the net from 20 yards after evading a couple of challenges in first-half stoppage time.
"It's not about having a catchy strap line, it's about 'why do I come to work every day?' Am I just here to go 'your train is over there'? Or am I here to really influence that person's journey and therefore the perception of the organisation we're working for? There is a bigger picture to this - and that ultimately is what will keep people using our service."
Popular.
- Synonyms
- Examples
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That style is very big right now in Europe, especially among teenagers.
Big in Japan, alright, pay then I'll sleep by your side / Things are easy when you're big in Japan
Populous.
Usage- of a city
Used as an intensifier, especially of negative-valence nouns
Usage- Informal
- Examples
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You are a big liar. Why are you in such a big hurry?
The little suggestions of look and tone; the easy fibs and bigger lies; the tricks of persuasion, the onleading wiles — all these I could not master.
More examples (1)
Why is it whenever I'm in a big hurry he's always in a big slow?
Operating on a large scale, especially if therefore having undue or sinister influence.
Usage- capitalized
- Humorous
- often
- sometimes
- of an industry or other field
- Examples
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big money
Big Tech, Big Steel
More examples (5)
Big Science
There were concerns about the ethics of big pharma.
Why are you so enthusiastic about putting cantaloupe in your smoothie? Did Big Melon buy you off? [humorous]
After the Airblade’s launch, a battle began to boil, pitting the dryer industry against the world’s most powerful hand-drying lobby: Big Towel.
“The C.E.O.s don’t want to be testifying. Even having this collective hearing creates a sense of quasi-guilt just because of who else has gotten called in like this — Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, Big Banks,” said Paul Gallant, a tech policy analyst at the investment firm Cowen. “That’s not a crowd they want to be associated with.”
Enthusiastic (about).
Usage- Informal
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Neville is big on standing by his principles and he deserves plaudits for acknowledging he got his starting system wrong, reverting to 4-2-3-1 and introducing Kirby in the No 10 role.
I'm not big on the idea, but if you want to go ahead with it, I won't stop you.
Adverb
In a loud manner.
In a boasting manner.
- Examples
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He's always talking big, but he never delivers.
In a large amount or to a large extent.
- Examples
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He won big betting on the croquet championship.
Don't miss our November sale — it's your last chance to save big before Christmas!
More examples (1)
According to the Digital Marketing Institute, influencer marketing campaigns are paying off big for brands, generating roughly $5.78 for every dollar spent.
In a large amount or to a large extent. (modifying a preposition)
Usage- Informal
- Examples
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I've always been big into sport, but I'm especially big into football.
On a large scale, expansively.
- Examples
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You've got to think big to succeed at Amalgamated Plumbing.
'You've got to put it over big,' he was saying in a loud nasal voice.
Hard; with great force.
Usage- Colloquial
- Examples
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He hit him big and the guy just crumpled.
Noun
Someone or something that is large in stature.
- Examples
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More examples (1)
You could throw out everything else, but I had the speed to split double-teams. Like, go at double-teams numerous times in a possession, on consecutive possessions where I'm testing your endurance, your bigs.
An important or powerful person; a celebrity; a big name.
- Synonyms
The big leagues, big time.
Usage- in-plural
- Synonyms
- Examples
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In the Appalachian League, where Cal Ripken once played in Bluefield, W.Va., a ballplayer's chances of making it to the bigs are less than one in six.
An initiated member of a sorority or fraternity who acts as a mentor to a new member (the little).
- Examples
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More examples (2)
He was there the night of Cristoph's party. All the littles were assigned to their bigs. Ian and Christoph had rushed the same fraternity. When they became upperclassmen, they both ended up on the board.
She added that the relationship between bigs and littles is "what each pair makes of it," and that a lot of the pairs often get dinner together and become close friends.
Some traditions of the chapter include lineages with bigs and littles, receiving of paddles from a big, and a national stroll, Wolsch-Gallia said.
The participant in age roleplay who acts out the older role.
- Antonyms
Verb
To inhabit; occupy.
Usage- Northern-England
- Scotland
- UK usage
- Archaic
- dialectal
- Transitive
To locate oneself.
Usage- Northern-England
- Scotland
- UK usage
- Archaic
- dialectal
- Reflexive
To build; erect; fashion.
Usage- Northern-England
- Scotland
- UK usage
- Archaic
- dialectal
- Transitive
- Examples
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Don't big it up.
To dwell; have a dwelling.
Usage- Northern-England
- Scotland
- UK usage
- Archaic
- dialectal
- Intransitive
Noun
One or more kinds of barley, especially six-rowed barley.
Usage- Northern-England
- Scotland
- UK usage
- Archaic
- dialectal
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
The poor lass was sitting bemoaning herself - "Were it nae for thy girning face, I would knock the big, winnow the corn, and grun the meal," - "Lowse the cradle-band," said the child, "and tent the neighbours, and I'll work yere work." Up he started - the wind arose - the corn was chopped - the outlyers were foddered - the hand-mill moved around, as by instinct - and the knocking-mill did its work with amazing rapidity.
Adjective
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
- Synonyms
- Antonyms
- Examples
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a large city
set out for the big city
More examples (8)
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
significant
- Examples
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graduation was a big day in his life
serious or severe
- Synonyms
- Examples
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a bad headache
in a big rage
More examples (3)
had a big (or bad) shock
a bad earthquake
a bad storm
loud and firm
- Examples
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a big voice
big bold piano sounds
conspicuous in position or importance
- Examples
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a big figure in the movement
big man on campus
More examples (2)
he's very large in financial circles
a prominent citizen
prodigious
- Synonyms
- Examples
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big spender
big eater
More examples (1)
heavy investor
exhibiting self-importance
- Examples
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big talk
feeling self-importance
- Synonyms
- Examples
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too big for his britches
had a swelled head
More examples (1)
he was swelled with pride
(of animals) fully developed
- Examples
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an adult animal
a grown woman
marked by intense physical force
- Examples
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a big wind
generous and understanding and tolerant
- Synonyms
- Examples
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a heart big enough to hold no grudges
that's very big of you to be so forgiving
More examples (3)
a large and generous spirit
a large heart
magnanimous toward his enemies
given or giving freely
- Examples
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was a big tipper
the bounteous goodness of God
More examples (7)
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
in an advanced stage of pregnancy
- Examples
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was big with child
was great with child
Adverb
extremely well
- Examples
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his performance went over big
in a boastful manner
- Synonyms
- Examples
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he talked big all evening
on a grand scale
- Antonyms
- Examples
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think big
in a major way
- Examples
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the play failed big at the box office