SLOW
opposite fast
moving slowly or doing something slowly
slow slao [adj] not moving quickly or not
D
SLIDE
doing something quickly: The train was slow, noisy, and uncomfortable. I a slow graceful dance I a race in which the slowest runners were soon left behind I My computer's really slow compared to the ones at school.
be slow to do sth (=not do it quickly enough) The police car was very slow to arrive, and the thieves had already gone.
slowly "slaoli/ [adv] He got up slowly out of his chair and came towards me. ( Can you speak more slowly? I can't understand what you 're saying. I A big white cloud drifted slowly across the sky.
happening slowly or changing slowly
slow sbo; [adj1 taking a long time: She's making a slow recovery after her illness. I For the first few months my progress was extremely slow. I /?ebuf/afing the country's economy is likely to be a long, slow process.
slowly ,'sboli [ac/u] The situation is
slowly improving. I Slowly, prices began to foil.
gradually/little by little /'graxbu^ii,
A
,htl bai litl [adu] happening slowly by a series of small amounts or changes, over a long period of time: Our climate is gradually becoming warmer and drier. I Little by little, Guy's health improved. I I was gradually beginning to realize the seriousness of the situation.
Little by little is used especially in stories or descriptions of past events.
gradual gradual/ [adj] happening or changing slowly over a long period of time - use this about a process or change, or an increase or reduction: I had noticed a gradual improvement in her written work, i a gradual fall in the number of unemployed people
take too long ,teik tu: 'ЬдЦ-'Ьа]/ if
something takes too long, it happens too slowly, or you need too much time to do it: I won't read out the whole state- mem - that would take too long, take too long to do sth I've changed my mind - it would take too long to explain
why.
to become slower or make something slower
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slow down ;,sl3u 'daon/ [phrasal verb I/T] You're driving too fast - slow down!
slow stK/sb down The bad weather slowed us down q lot slow down sth Clinton was able to slow down the rate of US inflation.
SMALL
if you mean 'to become smaller in amount, or to make sth smaller in amount', go to less
WIDE/NARROW
opposite big
SHORT
\ t
tiny tami/ [adj] very smalclass="underline" the baby's tiny fingers I The apartment has two bedrooms and a tiny kitchen. СЦЫпу little especially spoken The box was full of tiny little blue beads tiny - tinier - tiniest
minute ,/mai nju:t||- nu:t [adj] extremely small and difficult to see: minute pieces of
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SMALL
broken glass 1 Her handwriting is minute. I The problem was caused by minute particles of dust getting into the disk drive.
FEW
LITTLE/ NOT MUCH
Small and little mean the same, but always use small (not little) when you are simply talking about the size of something or giving information about its size. Use little when you want to show your feelings or opinion about a small thing or person.
small /sim:l/ [adj] His office was a small room at the top of the building. I These shoes are too small for me. I a small insect that can give you a nasty bite I Arthur was 16, but he was small for his age. I Her father owns a small printing
business. I a small town in Missouri I Which is the smallest state in the US?
little /'Iitl/ \adj only before noun] small - use this especially to show how you feel about someone or something, for example to show that you like them, dislike them, or feel sorry for them: It's just a little souvenir I brouoht back from Italy Qnice tittte/fovely little especially spoken
What a lovely little dog! I They've bought a nice little house in the country. Qpoor little spoken (=when you feel sorry for someone) a poor little bird with a broken wing
C^siUy little/horrible little etc spoken
see also
TALL
4 \
LESS I
small in size
A
silly little coffee cups that only hold one mouthful of coffee 1 What a horrible little boy!
Minute is more formal or more
technical than tiny.
cramped /кггетрг/ [adj] a room, space, or vehicle that is cramped is uncomfortable because there is not enough space inside it for people to move around: I hated working in that cramped little office. I Conditions on board the ship were extremely cramped.
small numbers/amounts
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Small srm.'I [adj] Our drinking water contains small quantities of fluoride and calcium. I The car industry is dominated by a sma/i number of very powerful companies.
Don't use little to talk about numbers or amounts - use small.
Don't use small about prices and wages - use low.
A
low /1эи/ \adj] low prices, wages, levels etc are less than usual or less than they should be: It's a good time to buy a computer, because prices are low. I Farm workers are complaining about long hours and low wages. I low interest rates
Don't say 'a low amount'. Say a small amount.
tiny /'tami/ [adj usually before noun] a tiny amount or number is very smalclass="underline" Only a tiny fraction of our profit comes from book sales.
small changes/ differences/problems
small /srmil/ [adj] a small increase in unemployment f I want to make a few small changes to the design. I There is still one small problem that we haven't dealt with.
slight /slait/ [adj usually before noun] small and not very important or noticeable: There has been a slight change of plan. I The doctor says there has been a slight improvement in her condition. the slightest change/difference [=one that is extremely small and difficult to mea sure) a thermometer that can record the slightest change in temperature
minor /'mains1'/1adj only before noun] use this about small changes or problems that are not important enough or serious enough to worry about
minor с hang e/dijQFe re nce/problem/injur у/
detail Except for one or two minor changes, the course is the same as /ast year I She fell off her horse, but suffered only minor injuries.
SMELL
see also taste