a little
∞
1.0
- idiom
- /ə ˈlɪtəl/
:
un poco
- Well, he thought about it a little bit and he said yeah.
- a little more
- a little bit
- just a little
Done it on the ships for a little while, yeah.
- Done it on the ships for a little while, yeah.
- Like this whole group they just seem a little unhinged from reality.
- But I feel like those little things made us a little stronger.
- And I think that makes it a little easier to stratify.
- And he was kind of tall, a little bit hunched over.
- You can probably tell it's a little snug at me.
Examples
-
I think I understand the concept a little better now.
-
OK, we're running a little short on time.
-
I think the last thing is to write a little message in here.
-
We're going to add a little oil down here.
-
Looks like it's got a little meat on it.
-
And it's supposed to look a little bit like this.
-
I understand it just a little better every time I visit a place like this.
Academic text (2011) -
I started asking questions, and she had a little story to tell in response.
Academic text (1990) -
The last time I was in Oxford was a little over twenty years ago.
Academic text (1999) -
I think I'll have a little more gin.
Synonyms
∞
1.6
To a small or medium degree
∞
2.1
To some degree but not completely
∞
1.0
To a small degree or amount
885
1.0
A little, not very much
816
2.0
To a small degree
92
2.7
To a small, gentle degree
35
4.1
By a small amount
22
3.7
A very small amount that is almost not noticeable
16
4.1
A little in amount or degree
1
9.3
Shows that you are a little unsure or not fully certain
Antonyms
How Much
Surface Forms
Morphology
a + little
The meaning 'to a small degree; somewhat' is directly derivable from the constituents: 'little' (small amount/extent) with the indefinite marker 'a' forming an adverbial quantifier. This compositional pattern is common and transparent across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will reliably infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The phrase a little comes from the simple picture of a small thing called little, like taking only a short step or adding only a tiny bit. That image made people use a little to mean 'a small amount' or 'somewhat'.