small change
10
2.3
- noun
- /smɔl ʧeɪndʒ/
:
cambio
- There are, however, a few small changes we'd like to discuss first.
- make small change
It's like we think that these things are really small changes, but they're massive.
- It's like we think that these things are really small changes, but they're massive.
- They give you the small change under certain symmetry operations.
- So very small change, but one that's worth noting as well.
- If something really jumps, then the presence of a of a phase transition can be a very, very good detector or very small changes.
Examples
-
We only play for small change.
-
After searching his pockets, he found some small change to pay for the bus fare.
-
However, I would like to make one small change.
-
It's a small change, but it makes all the difference in the world.
Fiction book (2000) -
Be sure you have lots of dollar bills and small change to use for change!
Blog text (9) -
Once we decided to make the transition from library to learning commons, we made several small changes.
Academic text (2011) -
My father pockets his smile along with a stack of small change.
Fiction book (1991) -
Dear, I'm so sorry, I don't seem to have any small change.
-
The grubby notes were in bundles, and there was a lot of small change.
Fiction book (2001) -
So when Da-Da won, there were plenty of treats, small change, Swiss rolls, choc-ices, and tomato juice.
Fiction book (1994)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A small amount of something
382
1.0
Small coins or the money you get back after paying
14
1.0
Small coins or money you do not need and carry with you
8
8.2
A very small amount of money that hardly matters next to bigger costs
8
2.5
A small amount of money, usually coins, kept for minor expenses
8
3.1
Small coins people keep in pockets or jars
5
9.9
An old British coin worth two pennies or a very small amount of money
1
3.0
A small amount of money spent on everyday work items like parking or snacks
A very small amount of money that is not worth much
Antonyms
How Much
Surface Forms
Morphology
The MWE's senses ('a very small amount of money' or 'an unimportant amount') are directly compositional: 'small' (limited in size/importance) modifies 'change' (coins or loose money), yielding a small amount of money or something of little importance. This adjective+noun pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows normal English modification rules, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Small change comes from the everyday picture of low-value coins — small coins of change — that you might have in your pocket after buying something. So it now means a tiny amount of money or something 'not important'.