3 VERB If one thing smacks of another thing that you consider bad, it reminds you of it or is like it. □ [V + of ] The engineers' union was unhappy with the motion, saying it smacked of racism.
4 ADV Something that is smack in a particular place is exactly in that place. [INFORMAL ] □ In part that's because industry is smack in the middle of the city.
5 N‑UNCOUNT Smack is heroin. [INFORMAL ]
6 PHRASE If you smack your lips , you open and close your mouth noisily, especially before or after eating, to show that you are eager to eat or enjoyed eating. □ 'I really want some dessert,' Keaton says, smacking his lips.
small ◆◆◆ /smɔː l/ (smaller , smallest )
1 ADJ A small person, thing, or amount of something is not large in physical size. □ [+ for ] She is small for her age. □ The window was far too small for him to get through. □ Stick them on using a small amount of glue. ● small|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] Amy had not mentioned the smallness and bareness of Luis's home.
2 ADJ A small group or quantity consists of only a few people or things. □ A small group of students meets regularly to learn Japanese. □ Guns continued to be produced in small numbers.
3 ADJ A small child is a very young child. □ I have a wife and two small children. □ What were you like when you were small?
4 ADJ You use small to describe something that is not significant or great in degree. □ It's quite easy to make quite small changes to the way that you work. □ No detail was too small to escape her attention.
5 ADJ Small businesses or companies employ a small number of people and do business with a small number of clients. □ …shops, restaurants and other small businesses.
6 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If someone makes you look or feel small , they make you look or feel stupid or ashamed. □ This may just be another of her schemes to make me look small.
7 N‑SING The small of your back is the bottom part of your back that curves in slightly. □ [+ of ] Place your hands on the small of your back and breathe in.
8 → see also smalls
9 the small hours → see hour
10 small wonder → see wonder
sma ll ad (small ads ) N‑COUNT The small ads in a newspaper are short advertisements in which you can advertise something such as an object for sale or a room to let. □ Prospective buyers should study the small ads in the daily newspaper.
sma ll arms N‑PLURAL Small arms are guns that are light and easy to carry. □ The two sides exchanged small arms fire for about three hours.
sma ll bee r N‑UNCOUNT If you say that something is small beer , you mean that it is unimportant in comparison with something else. [BRIT ] □ Such roles are small beer compared with the fame she once enjoyed.
sma ll cha nge N‑UNCOUNT Small change is coins of low value. □ She was counting out 30p, mostly in small change, into my hand.
sma ll fry N‑UNCOUNT Small fry is used to refer to someone or something that is considered to be unimportant. □ What they owe to the tax people is small fry compared to the overall £1.2 million debt.
small|holder /smɔː lhoʊldə r / (smallholders ) N‑COUNT A smallholder is someone who has a smallholding. [BRIT ]
small|holding /smɔː lhoʊld I ŋ/ (smallholdings ) N‑COUNT A smallholding is a piece of land that is used for farming and is smaller than a normal farm. [BRIT ] □ A smallholding in the hills could not support a large family.
sma ll hou rs N‑PLURAL If something happens in the small hours , it happens soon after midnight, in the very early morning. □ [+ of ] They were arrested in the small hours of Saturday morning.
small|ish /smɔː l I ʃ/ ADJ Something that is smallish is fairly small. □ Some smallish firms may close.
sma ll-mi nded ADJ If you say that someone is small-minded , you are critical of them because they have fixed opinions and are unwilling to change them or to think about more general subjects. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …their small-minded preoccupation with making money.
small|pox /smɔː lpɒks/ N‑UNCOUNT Smallpox is a serious infectious disease that causes spots which leave deep marks on the skin.
sma ll pri nt N‑UNCOUNT The small print of a contract or agreement is the part of it that is written in very small print. You refer to it as the small print especially when you think that it might include unfavourable conditions which someone might not notice or understand. □ Read the small print in your contract to find out exactly what you are insured for.
smalls /smɔː lz/ N‑PLURAL Your smalls are your underwear. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
sma ll-sca le ADJ [usu ADJ n] A small-scale activity or organization is small in size and limited in extent. □ …the small-scale production of farmhouse cheeses in Devon.
sma ll scree n N‑SING When people talk about the small screen , they are referring to television, in contrast to films that are made for the cinema. □ Now he is also to become a star of the small screen.
sma ll talk N‑UNCOUNT Small talk is polite conversation about unimportant things that people make at social occasions. □ Smiling for the cameras, the two men strained to make small talk.
sma ll-time ADJ If you refer to workers or businesses as small-time , you think they are not very important because their work is limited in extent or not very successful. □ …a small time crook.