In expressions involving amount, quantity, or degree: (a) little, not much; limited; scarce, in short supply [quot.: a1126]; of the pulse: weak, failing; but ~, only a little (sth.); ~ no muche, little nor much; ~ or non, little or no (sth.); ~..or (other) non, ~..or nought; to ~, not enough of (sth.), too little; ~ in (of), deficient or limited in (sth.), of little (sth.); (b) a ~, a small amount of (sth.), a little, some; -- with abstract and mass nouns; a ~ tine (wight), a little, somewhat; ~ inough, barely sufficient; (c) of intelligence, ability, etc.: limited, restricted; small, not much; ~ of conninge (wit), limited in ability or understanding, of little ability or understanding; (d) of expense, wages, value: small, low; ~ of pris (value), limited in value, of little value; (e) of gifts, offerings, property, etc.: small in value, of little worth.

Of little duration; short, brief; little; a) ~ whil, ~ a whil, a ~ houre (pece, stound, throu, tide, time), of ~ time, for a short time, for a little while; a ~ terme, in a ~ stound (throu, time, whil), be a ~ whil, in ~ first (time, whil), in (on) ~ stound, withinnen a ~ stound (space, terme, whil), in a short time, in a little while.

Small in size, area, extent; small, little; not extensive; narrow; ~ ropes, light ropes; -- also, with intensive function, before other adjectives of size.

(a) Of human stature of size: little, short; of animals: small; (b) of children and their physical parts, and young animals: small, not fully grown; young; with connotations of sympathy or affection: little, dear little; (c) in biblical use: young (as implying innocence or ignorance); childlike, innocent, ignorant; ~ children, ignorant or unlearned people; (d) as epithet with personal names: little, young.

(a) Of a story, literary work, sentence, word, etc.: short, brief; also, with implications of affectionate disparagement: little, modest, simple; to ~, too compressed, too brief; ~ of word, discreet in speech, of few words; fig. ~ tonge, inept tongue, limited literary ability; (b) minor, slight; trivial, of little importance; ~ thing, a small matter, trifle; (c) low in position or status, lowly, humble; unimportant; ~ thef, petty thief; ~ and mikel, lowly and great, one and all; (d) of friends: not close, not intimate; casual.

Few in number; of a group: small in number; ~ scole, ?a small school, a school with few pupils; ?school for young pupils, infant school.

In combs. and cpds.: (a) ~ apoplexie [see apoplexie]; ~ custume, duty on goods taken to a local market [see also custume 6. (a)]; ~ diaquilon, a drug made of vegetable juices, litharge, and oil or wax [see also dia- (c)]; ~ doughter, granddaughter; ~ king, the European wren Nannus troglodytes; a governor [glossing Latin regulus; see also king 1a. (g)]; ~ maister, guide, director; ~ man, dwarf; ?pigmy; ~ mile, mile (as opposed to a great mile); ~ sighte, short-sighted; ~ tend, small tithe, minor praedial tithe; ~ world, man as the microcosm; (b) ~ finger (man), the little finger; (c) anat. ~ arm, the forearm [see also arm 1. (c)]; ~ fot, the foot and ankle [see also fot 2.]; ~ hond, the hand [see also hond 1a. (b)]; ~ leg, the lower leg, shank; that part of the leg from knee to ankle [see also leg 2. (a)]; ~ moder, ?the peritoneum; ?a membrane; ~ to [see to n.]; (d) in plant names: ~ burnet, ?the salad burnet (Poterium sanguisorba); ~ consoude, ~ daiesie, the European daisy (Bellis perennis); ~ morel, the black nightshade (Solanum nigrum); ~ wale, the littlewale (Lithospermum officinale); (e) translating Latin diminutives: ~ bed, ~ corde, ~ handful, ~ shulder, etc.; ~ breche, ?pun on anus and anulus.

(a) In names of countries: ~ armenie, Lesser Armenia; ~ britaine, Brittany [see also Britaine 2.]; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 26.25, 30]; (c) in surnames; (d) in names of buildings and a ship.