{
    "term": "little",
    "partOfSpeech": "adjective",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "not big; small; smaller than others",
            "labels": "(British English)",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a little house"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a little group of tourists"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a **little old lady**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "We passed through several **nice little** towns."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was a **tiny little** room."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Which do you want?’ ‘I'll take the little one.’"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She gave a little laugh."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We should manage, with **a little bit** of luck."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Here's **a little something** *(= a small present)* for your birthday."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was a lovely little village before the war."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The room was full of funny little animals."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We had a little adventure yesterday."
                },
                {
                    "text": "You'll feel a little sting."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "young",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **little boy/girl**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He's just a **little kid**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "my **little brother/sister** *(= younger brother/sister)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The **little ones** were already in bed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**cute little** baby animals"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I lived in America when I was little."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He's still very little and doesn't understand yet."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "short",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "A **little while** later the phone rang."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Shall we walk a little way?"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "used after an adjective to show approval, sympathy or dislike, especially in a patronizing way (= one that suggests that you think you are better than somebody)",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The **poor little thing**! It's lost its mother."
                },
                {
                    "text": "What a nasty little man!"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She's a **good little** worker."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He'd become **quite the little** gentleman."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "not important; not serious",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I can't remember every little detail."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Sometimes it's the **little things** that count."
                },
                {
                    "text": "You soon get used to the little difficulties."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The system has some odd little quirks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It's just one of life's little mysteries."
                },
                {
                    "text": "All those problems because of one little mistake!"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "something large and successful often begins in a very small way",
            "labels": "(saying)",
            "examples": [],
            "topics": ["Success"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to say that somebody told you something but you do not want to say who it was",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "it is not surprising",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It is little wonder (that) she was so upset."
                },
                {
                    "text": "No wonder you're tired—you've been walking for hours."
                },
                {
                    "text": "No wonder you're still single—you never go out!"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈlɪtl/",
                "audio": "li/little/little__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈlɪtlə(r)/",
                "audio": "li/little/littler__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈlɪtlɪst/",
                "audio": "li/little/littlest__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈlɪtl/",
                "audio": "li/little/little__us_4.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈlɪtlər/",
                "audio": "li/little/littler__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈlɪtlɪst/",
                "audio": "li/little/littlest__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English lȳtel, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch luttel, German dialect lützel."
}