LITTLE, LITTLENESS
(also see SMALL)
ADJECTIVES
► DEARY small, minute, little, undersized, puny → 1691 Eng. dial.
► DEARY LITTLE small, minute, little, undersized, puny → 1790 Eng. dial.
► EXIGUOUS scant in measure or number; extremely small, little, diminutive, minute, slender → 1651
► ICKLE little: a child’s term → a1687 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
► JIMP rather small, rather little; barely sufficient → 1893 Sc. & Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► LEELY little → 1888 Amer. dial.
► LEETLE little → 1755 jocular usage
► LICKELL ► LICKLE little → 18C Brit. colloq.
► LILLY little, in size or quantity → 1922 Amer. dial.
► LITSY BITSY small, little, tiny → 1945 Amer. dial.
► LITTABITTY small, little, tiny → 1926 Amer. dial.
► LITTLE BITSY small, little, tiny → 1905 Amer. dial.
► LITTLE BITTY small, little, tiny → 1905 Amer. dial.
► NINKI pretty little, dainty, nice → 1908 Sc. children’s usage
► NOOKIE tiny, little → 1917 NZ sl.
► NOT ENOUGH TO DUST A FIDDLE very little → 1913 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► PICCANINNY little → 1840 Aust. colloq.
► PIRLIE small, very little → 19C Sc.
► TAD little, a small amount → 1940 UK sl.
► VEAN little → 1894 Eng. dial.
► WEENCHY tiny, very little → 20C US sl.
NOUNS
► IDGETS very little things → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► JOD the least particle or quantity; the least amount; a very little or small part; an iota → 1596
► NIPPIE a little insignificant thing → 1964 Sc.
► NIPPOCK little insignificant thing → 1923 Sc.
► NIPPOCKIE little insignificant thing → 1964 Sc.
► PARTLE a small, worthless thing, a trifle, a very little thing; a small part → 1880 Sc.
► PARVITUDE littleness, smallness, minuteness → 1657
► PARVITY littleness, smallness, minuteness → 1620 obs.
► PUSILLITY littleness, pettiness → a1619 obs.
► SMALL, THE persons or animals of small size or stature; little ones, children → 1300
► WHISPER a little, a trifle → 1913 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
NOUNS – PERSON
► ARSE-WORM a little diminutive fellow → L17 sl.
► BAGGIT an insignificant little person → 1879 Sc.
► BIDDYKIN a little person → 1952 Amer. dial.
► BILCH a little, crooked, insignificant person → 1898 Sc. (Bk.)
► BIT BOY a little boy → 1878 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► BODGEL a little man → 1911 Sc. (Bk.)
► BOOSCHT a little, talkative person → 1911 Sc. (Bk.)
► DOBBET a short, stumpy little person → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► DOLLICKS a little woman → 19C Eng. dial.
► DUMPLING a little fat child or person; a short, stout person → 1617
► DURGAN ► DURGEN an undersized person or animal; a dwarf; a little, thickset person → 1706 Eng. dial.
► FUDGY a little fat person; one of squat or stumpy build → 1825 Eng. dial.
► HIONICK a little man; a contemptible person → 1825 Sc.
► HOMUNCULE a little or diminutive man; a dwarf → 1656
► HOP-O’-MY-THUMB a little diminutive person; a dwarf, a pygmy → 1530
► JACK-A-DANDY an insignificant little fellow; a little pert or conceited fellow → 1632
► JACK-COVE a little fellow → 1895 Aust. criminals’ sl. (Bk.)
► JACK SPRAT a dwarfish, undersized person; a little fellow; a diminutive boy or man; a nickname for a short person; a dwarf → c1570
► KAE a term of affection for a neat little person → 1866 Sc. (Bk.)
► LITTLE SCUT a little boy; a scamp, a rascal → 1953 Amer. dial.
► LITTLING a little child; a young animal; the smallest pup, etc., of a litter → c975 Eng. dial.
► MANAKIN ► MANIKIN ► MANNIKIN a little man, often used contemptuously; a dwarf, a pygmy → 1601
► MANEEN a little man; a gauche young man → 1910s Irish sl.
► MANISHON a little insignificant-looking person → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► MANLING a little man → a1637 obs.
► MANNET a little man → 1630 obs.
► MANNIE an undersized or little man; a term of contempt; a term of endearment for a small boy → L17 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► MIDGICRAW a term of contempt, a little impertinent person → 1873 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► MIPPETS a small child; a very little boy or girl → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► MOMMICK a little person → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► NACKET a pert, forward, smart boy; a trifling little person; an insignificant person; a wicked, mischievous, or impertinent child; a precocious child → 1818 Sc. (Bk.)
► NESTLER a nesting bird; also, a little child → 1611
► NURVIL a little man; a dwarf → 1499 obs.
► PEE-WEEZY a little dried-up or shrivelled person → 1952 Amer. dial.
► PUSILL a little or weak one, a child → 1884
► SACKET a determined little fellow → 1889 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► SMALL, THE persons or animals of small size or stature; little ones, children → 1300
► SPALPEEN a little boy; a youngster → 1891 Irish
► SPURD a little person of lively disposition → 1825 Sc.
► SPURDIE a little person of lively disposition → 1866 Sc.
► TACKER a little child, especially a small boy → 1885 Eng. & Amer. dial.
► TARLE a little weak person → 1866 Sc. obs. (Bk.)
► TOM-TIT a little man or boy → 1741
► TRUB-TAIL a little or short, squat woman → 1706 obs.
► URCHIN a little, dirty child → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► WEANIE a very young or little child → 1785 Eng. dial.
► WIFFIE a little woman → 1825 Sc.
► WYFOCKIE a little wife; a little woman; generally used as a term of endearment → 1825 Sc.