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big

big

523 2.7
Generous and willing to forgive others
  • adjective
  • /bɪg/
translation icon : generoso
  • Isabella, however, clung to her father, her impossibly big brown eyes even impossibly bigger.

Examples

  • "Just not being afraid of technology has been a big help," she says. -- Allen Pusey

    Academic text (2011)
  • At the least, she would have made a big pot roast and brought it over.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • "I know he was a good man with a big heart, and I loved him."

    Fiction book (1990)
  • He said God gave me such a big soul and so little talent.

  • You're such a big, bouncy, beautiful baby.

  • He's a big sweetie.

  • The ability to hunt in oxygen-deprived waters gives squid a big advantage over most large predatory fish.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Erica Hill described him as a big man with a warm and generous spirit.

  • The charity event was a wonderful success, showcasing the big hearts of everyone involved.

  • She always had a big capacity to forgive, no matter the mistakes made by her friends.

Synonyms

generous
vsbig
111 1.3

An amount larger than usual or needed

uses generosity as a personal forgiving and noble quality, not amount
large
vsbig
91 2.5

Very generous and kind in giving or forgiving others

stresses forgivingness and magnanimity rather than only broad spirit
liberal
vsbig
32 3.9

Giving a lot of something like money or praise

places more emphasis on forgiving and magnanimous personal quality
bountiful
vsbig
19 4.9

Having a lot of something, especially food or things grown in a garden

centres on generous forgiving character rather than quantity or yield
magnanimous
vsbig
  • Formal
16 8.0

Being kind and generous when forgiving people who hurt you

covers generous giving as well as forgiving, not only noble pardon
bounteous
vsbig
3 7.3

Giving a large amount freely, like food or money

focuses more on personal forgiveness and noble generosity than abundance
1 4.3

A person who is generous, kind, and understanding toward others

leans more toward formal magnanimity and broad generosity beyond sympathy
bighearted
vsbig
1 2.6

Being kind and generous and willing to help others

adds a notable focus on forgivingness and magnanimous attitude
giving
vsbig
1.7

Willing to share money, time, or help with others

adds a stronger sense of forgivingness and magnanimity beyond simple generosity
openhanded
vsbig
5.2

A person who gives money, time, or help freely to others

includes forgiving and understanding attitudes as well as open giving
freehanded
vsbig
6.1

Giving money or help freely without holding back

also emphasizes forgiving and understanding character, not just resource use
largehearted
vsbig
4.1

Showing kindness and generosity by helping or forgiving others

places slightly more weight on noble forgiving and large spirit
large-minded
vsbig
6.0

Willing to accept other people's ideas and be kind to them

is more about forgivingness and noble generosity than mere tolerance

Antonyms

458 1.0

Caring only about yourself and not about other people

26 5.2

Not willing to spend money or give help to others

Idioms

38 3.5

To a great degree and in an impressive way

14 3.4

A group of people who are close and friendly like a loving home

big cheese
  • Slang
8 5.3

A person who is very important in a group or company

7 4.5

To become very successful and famous in your work

Acting more important than you really are

1 5.5

An important person in a small group who has more power than elsewhere

1 9.9

To fail badly and lose something important

Acting too proud and thinking you are better than others

big if true
  • Texting
9.2

Something that would be very important if it is true

A large chance to succeed or move forward that will happen soon

big woop
  • Informal
9.9

A phrase that says something is not impressive or important

A playful, teasing way to say goodbye to a friend

Deeply stuck in a difficult situation that is hard to leave

suck a big one
  • Offensive
9.9

A rude, insulting phrase that tells someone to go away

Acting more confident and important than you really are

8.1

To ask why someone is doing something when you are annoyed or surprised

Compounds

586 2.1

An important thing or event that affects people

194 1.9

A person who really likes and supports someone or something

big time
  • Informal
161 4.1

A very successful level in entertainment or sport where people become famous

big boy
  • Informal
126 5.3

A grown person who is more independent and responsible, said playfully

119 3.4

An older brother who looks after and helps you

106 3.4

A view of the whole situation that shows the most important parts

big shot
  • Informal
91 3.9

A person who is important and powerful in a job or field

84 2.0

A large amount of money, especially as earnings or profit

71 3.3

Large, powerful companies that influence society and politics

big bucks
  • Informal
61 4.2

A lot of money that someone earns or gets

56 1.0

A sister who is older than you

54 2.7

Something that many people like or buy, especially in one group

51 3.0

The highest level of sports competition, like the major leagues in baseball

50 2.2

An important choice that can change your life

big girl
  • Informal
50 2.3

A girl who acts like an adult and takes responsibility

50 2.3

An important sports event like a championship final that many people watch

big mouth
  • Offensive
49 4.8

A person who talks too much and tells other people's secrets

47 1.0

A wide friendly movement of the mouth that shows happiness

43 3.5

A famous and important person or group in one area

41 3.2

An important plan or reason that guides a project

41 1.0

A family with many people, often including several children

big break
  • Informal
38 3.2

An important chance that helps a person become successful in their career

38 2.0

An important occasion when people come together, like a wedding or concert

38 3.0

A cinema where films are shown to many people

big deal
  • Informal
37 3.8

An important person who is treated as successful or powerful

30 3.2

A large television screen used to watch films or videos

big baby
  • Offensive
28 5.0

A person who acts like a child by being very sensitive or complaining

27 7.0

A person or organization that watches and controls people's lives too closely

26 2.0

An important part in an event or process

26 2.4

A person who is very kind and ready to help others

big data
  • Specialized
23 3.7

Large sets of information that people analyze with computers to find patterns

big bang
  • Specialized
23 4.6

The moment when the universe begins to expand

19 1.0

The largest toe on the inside of the foot

the Big One
  • Informal
19 7.9

A very large earthquake that causes great damage, often expected in California

18 2.9

Loud applause from an audience to show strong approval

An important public message about news or plans

16 3.0

A large group of musicians that plays jazz or dance music with instruments like trumpets and saxophones

15 5.1

Very expensive and costing a lot of money

15 3.8

Large wild animals like elephants or lions that people hunt for sport

15 4.2

A person who buys many expensive things to show off

14 2.1

A large, important task that takes a lot of time and effort

big fish
  • Informal
14 3.6

An important person in a group or organization who has power

12 2.8

Large wild cats like lions or tigers that can roar

big oil
  • Literature
12 3.2

Large companies in the oil industry that have much money and political power

11 3.2

A pattern of seven bright stars that looks like a large ladle in the northern sky

10 4.2

Having a naturally large, wide body frame and broad shoulders

10 2.5

A loud, happy sound people make when something is very funny

big gun
  • Informal
9 5.1

An important person with power in a company or field

big brother
  • Literature
8 4.8

A powerful government or company that watches people and their private information

8 3.3

A large bell and clock in the tower at the Houses of Parliament in London

big lug
  • Informal
7 6.1

A large clumsy person who is kind and liked

7 3.8

An event when something surprising and important is made known after waiting

big pharma
  • Literature
5 5.1

Large drug companies seen as putting profit before people's health

5 3.5

A large tent used for circus shows

Big Bang theory
  • Specialized
4 4.1

An idea that the universe began when a hot, very dense point expanded quickly

big kahuna
  • Slang
4 9.5

A very important person in a group or organization, often the most powerful

3 4.6

A nickname for the New York Stock Exchange at 11 Wall Street

big board
  • Jargon
3 6.3

A large electronic screen at the New York Stock Exchange that shows stock prices and activity

3 6.9

A show of force used to make others do what you want

big tree
  • Specialized
3 3.5

A very tall evergreen tree from California, for example a giant sequoia

2 3.4

A loud sudden noise like an explosion

2 3.0

A person who eats a lot of food

2 1.0

The longer hand on a clock that points to the minutes

Big Bad Wolf
  • Literature
2 3.2

A wolf in children's stories who hurts or tricks people

Big Blue
  • Specialized
2 8.4

A very large powerful bomb the US military uses to destroy enemy positions

2 7.4

A large electronic or physical board that shows current stock prices at an exchange

big science
  • Specialized
2 5.2

Large scientific projects that need a lot of money and many people to make big discoveries

big dog
  • Informal
2 6.7

A person who is very important and powerful in a group

big daddy
  • Slang
1 8.1

An important person who makes key decisions for a group

big and bad
  • Informal
1 6.8

Very large and so strong that it scares or impresses people

A film version of a book or play made for the cinema

1 5.1

A beautiful coastal area in central California with high cliffs and a rugged coast

Big Tech
  • Literature
1 3.2

Large technology companies that dominate the internet, online services, and social media

How Generous

magnanimous
  • Formal
16 8.0
generous
79 1.2
big
523 2.7
stingy
26 5.2
mean
699 2.2

Surface Forms

big positive
bigger comparative
biggest superlative

Etymology

Big kept its basic sense of 'large' and was used for a 'large heart', as in big-hearted, to show generosity. That's why when someone is big in this way, they are giving or forgiving.