little

Word family nounlittlenesslittlielittlinglittle fingerlittle peopleadjectivelittleworthlittle

ldoce_730_zlit·tle1 /ˈlɪtl/ S1 W1 adjectiveadj

1 size 尺寸SMALL [usually before noun] small in size 小的

a little house

小屋

a cake decorated with little flowers

点缀着小花的蛋糕

She was cutting the meat up into little bits.

她把肉切成小丁。

little tiny/tiny little spoken (=extremely small) 极小的，丁点大的

a little tiny puppy

丁点大的小狗

little bitty American EnglishAmE spoken (=extremely small) 极小的

a little something informal (=a small present, or a small amount of food) 小礼物；少量的食物

I’d like to buy him a little something to thank him.

我想给他买样小东西谢谢他。

► see thesaurus at small

2 SMALLSTH you like or dislike 喜欢或厌恶之物 [only before noun] used between an adjective and a noun to emphasize that you like or dislike something or someone, although they are not important, impressive etc 小的〔用于形容词和名词之间，强调喜欢或厌恶〕

It could be a nice little business.

这可能是一门不错的小生意。

a useful little gadget

一件有用的小玩意儿

It was another of her silly little jokes.

这是她开的另一个愚蠢的小玩笑。

a boring little man

一个无趣的小男人

poor little thing (=used to show sympathy) 可怜的小东西〔表示同情〕

The poor little thing had hurt its wing.

这可怜的小东西翅膀受伤了。

3 a little bit

a) a small amount of something 少量

a little bit of

With a little bit of luck we should finish by five o’clock.

我们有点运气的话，5点钟之前应该能完成。

I’m going to give you a little bit of advice.

我要给你一点小小的建议。

Let me tell you a little bit about myself.

我来给你稍微讲讲我自己吧。

b) slightly or to a small degree 少许，一点

I was a little bit disappointed.

我有点失望。

Examples from the Corpus

a little bit• I prefer to talk a little bit.• I really just did it for a little bit, and then gave it up.• There was, I suspect, a little bit of Otago isolationism involved.• He was even maybe a little bit relieved, because immediately it was clear that Ernie was what she needed.

4 time/distance 时间/距离NEARSHORT TIME [only before noun] short in time or distance 短时间的；短距离的

You could have a little sleep in the car.

你可以在车里小睡一会儿。

We walked a little way along this path.

我们沿着这条小路走了一小段。

He arrived a little while ago.

他刚到一会儿。

5 young 年幼的YOUNG little children are young 年轻的，幼小的

We didn’t have toys like this when I was little.

在我小时候，我们没有这样的玩具。

little boy/girl

two little boys playing in the street

两个在街上玩耍的小男孩

somebody’s little boy/girl (=someone’s son or daughter who is still a child) 某人的小儿子/女儿〔指尚未成年〕

Mum, I’m 17 – I’m not your little girl any longer.

妈，我17岁了——我不再是你的小女孩了。

somebody’s little brother/sister (=a younger brother or sister who is still a child) 某人的小弟弟/妹妹〔指仍然是孩子〕

Her little brother and sister were fighting again.

她年幼的弟弟和妹妹又在打架了。

► see thesaurus at young

6 LITTLE/NOT VERYslight 轻微的 [only before noun] done in a way that is not very noticeable 微弱的；不明显的；轻微的

a little smile

微微一笑

Nicolo gave a little nod of his head.

尼科洛微微点了点头。

7 unimportant 不重要的 [only before noun]

a) LITTLE/NOT VERYnot important 不重要的

She gets very angry over little things.

她为一点小事就会很生气。

There isn’t time to discuss every little detail.

没有时间讨论每一个琐碎的细节了。

b) IMPORTANTnot important – used when you really think that something is important 微不足道的〔指实际上认为某事很重要〕

There’s just that little matter of the £5,000 you owe me.

就是你欠我5,000英镑这件小事情。

8 (just) that little bit better/easier etc LITTLE/NOT MUCHbetter, easier etc by a small amount that will have an important effect （就）更好/更简单一点等〔指量少而效果大〕

Working fewer hours will make life just that little bit easier for me.

工作时间少几个小时就会让我的生活轻松一点。

Examples from the Corpus

(just) that little bit better/easier etc• We have put together a few of the most popular itineraries to help make your choice that little bit easier.

9. the little woman old-fashionedMARRY someone’s wife – often used humorously but now considered offensive by many women 老婆，婆娘〔指某人的妻子；常为幽默用法，但现在许多妇女认为此说法具有冒犯性〕

Examples from the Corpus

the little woman• A pinstriped husband in the city patronisingly fond of the little woman and her projects.• What is incomprehensible is John McEnroe's apparent efforts to keep the little woman at home.• The report explodes the myth that men are the bed-hopping rogues while the little woman waits at home.

→ a little bird told me at bird(4)

5 GRAMMAR 语法

You can say smaller or smallest , but ‘littler’ and ‘littlest’ are not often used. 可以说 smaller 或 smallest，但 'littler' 和 'littlest' 很罕见

Her feet are even smaller (NOT 不说 littler/more little) than mine.

她的脚比我的还要小。

You can use words like ‘quite’, ‘very’, and ‘too’ in front of small , but do not use them with little . 可在 small 前用 'quite'、'very'、'too' 等词，但不能在 little 前使用

a very small car (NOT 不说 a very little car)

一辆非常小的汽车

n Grammar

Order of adjectives

If there is more than one adjective, the adjectives are usually used in a fixed order.

You say:

What a pretty little cottage!

✗Don’t say: What a little pretty cottage!

You say:

I bought a little black bag.

✗Don’t say: I bought a black little bag.

Comparatives

You can say smaller or smallest, but ‘littler’ and ‘littlest’ are not often used. You say: 可以说 smaller 或 smallest，但 'littler' 和 'littlest' 很罕见

Her feet are even smaller than mine.

她的脚比我的还要小。

✗Don’t say: Her feet are even littler than mine. | Her feet are more little than mine.

5 FREQUENCY 使用频率

Examples from the Corpus

little• I loved playing with blocks when I was little.• a poor little bird• Her little boy was Johnny, seven years old, dark-eyed and sweet.• What an annoying little boy!• What a lovely little dog!• She was only about seventeen, with the most beautiful little face I had ever seen.• a little farm on the hill• I haven't seen one of those since I was a little girl.• They've been married for ten years and have two little girls.• The little Hoflin, who had her speciality showpiece in Act Two, did it very badly and finally tripped and fell.• They bought a nice little house near the beach.• a nice little house• Todd's stupid little jokes• a little laugh• On the jetty near the little lighthouse is a remarkably good restaurant.• Delicate little Louise, requiring round-the-clock, year-long, life-long protection.• There's just that little matter of the $5000 you owe me.• a little nap• We saw a little old lady with a walking-stick.• There were three bridesmaids at the wedding, and even the little one behaved beautifully.• So this little one is a surprise.• a cute little puppy• Where the Aztecs are is just a little short.• It's just a little souvenir I brought back from Italy• Oh, the poor little thing, he's hurt his paw.• Alice gets angry over little things.• He had climbed a little way up the tree and gotten scared.

a little something• So I thought, a little push, a little shove, a little something extra to shake it loose.• Pawlowski knows a little something about horsepower.• Here's a little something from the girls in the office.• Well, I ate a little something in my room earlier.• Before that, and this should tell you a little something, it was not much more attractive for Stanford.• Can yet give us a little something now, Morreen.• This time aliens stop by for a visit and leave a little something, um, behind.• I always bring Maggie a little something when I come back from business trips.• Let me just tell you a little something!• Mrs Fanning also stood up and said she could stand to leave behind a little something.

nice little• The suit he wore was fabulous - a sort of electric blue braiding, a nice little cabaret job.• Found me some water and made me a nice little crop.• That would be a nice little earner for us.• These were the nice little gestures that went with the setting.• What is more she doesn't want to leave her home, a nice little house that she inherited from her parents.• Oh, Gramps, she thought tiredly, what a nice little legacy you left your granddaughter.• But now I have Timmy, a nice little man and a grand companion.

a little while• I now had some helpful connections in Warsaw, even if for only a little while.• It might take me a little while.• So he stays at Camelot for a little while.• He came down from Massachusetts for a little while and paid a call on Whitman in Brooklyn.• I waited a little while before I called back.• I adjusted my tie and buttoned up the coat which, a little while later, I would be unbuttoning.• And Gabby hoped he was right, as they took their seats a little while later.• Just for a little while listen to me!• Stop by and learn a little while you enjoy the tunes.

little boy/girl• I was a clever little girl.• She saw herself as such a jolly little girl.• As after all I was not a bad little boy but I was shy and covered it up by bravado.• You will interfere with my responsibilities regarding this very lost little boy only at supreme hazard to yourself.• Maria Luisa isn't the gullible little girl she was last year in Seville.• Nobody pushed little boys to play sports if they preferred to cook instead; nobody mocked little girls who collected spiders.• I encouraged a little boy to write the makers of his favorite mustard, telling them about his delight in their product.• He persisted, and discovered that the little boy was called Grégoire.

little2 S1 W1 determiner , pronoun

1 LITTLE/NOT MUCHonly a small amount or hardly any of something 一点；少得几乎没有

There’s little doubt in my mind that he’s guilty.

我心里几乎毫不怀疑他是有罪的。

I paid little attention to what the others were saying.

我不大注意别人在说什么。

Little is known about the causes of the problem.

这个问题的起因人们所知甚少。

Changes in the law have done little to improve the situation.

修改法律对于改善局势几乎没有什么作用。

little of

Little of their wealth now remains.

他们的财富现在已经所剩无几。

There’s very little money left.

没剩下多少钱了。

Many of the students speak little or no English.

许多学生几乎一点英语也不会说。

He knew little or nothing (=almost nothing) about fixing cars.

他对修车几乎一无所知。

My lawyer advised me to say as little as possible.

我的律师建议我尽量少说。

He did precious little (=very little) to help.

他没有帮多少忙。

The laboratory tests are of little real value.

这些实验室测试几乎没什么实际的价值。

2 a little LITTLE/NOT MUCHa small amount 少量的

Fortunately I had a little time to spare.

幸好我能抽出一点时间来。

Susan speaks a little French.

苏珊会说一点法语。

A little over half the class can swim.

班上有一半多一点的人会游泳。

He walked on a little (=a short distance) and then turned back.

他往前走了一小段，然后掉头往回走。

a little more/less

Would you like a little more milk in your coffee?

你的咖啡里要再加一点牛奶吗？

a little of

The city is regaining a little of its former splendour.

这座城市正在一点点恢复昔日的辉煌。

Examples from the Corpus

a little• "Do you feel sad that you're leaving?" "Just a little."• I could see that Mrs Ewing's hand was trembling a little.• "Do you speak French?" "Just a little."• "Would you like some more coffee?" "Just a little."• I know only a little bit of Korean.• Gas prices have fallen a little, but they are still much higher than last year.• I have a little cash with me, but not enough to pay for both of us.• He earns a little extra by working on weekends.• If we all used a little less paper, we'd probably save a forest or two.• If I were you I'd use a little less salt next time.• A little make-up would make her look so much more attractive.• A private room costs a little more, but it's worth it.• I think I'll try a little of the casserole.• I can understand a little of the frustration he must be feeling.• A little of the grease got on my skirt.• A little over half the class can swim.• His work has improved a little since he began the special classes.• I'm feeling a little tired, I think I'll go upstairs and have a rest.• Most people will give a little to charity if they are asked.• I'm a little upset with you right now.

3 as little as £5/3 months/10 feet etc used to emphasize how surprisingly small an amount is 只是5英镑/3个月/10 英尺等而已〔表示数量少得令人惊讶〕

Prices for his paintings start from as little as £100.

他的画起价只有100英镑。

The weather can change completely in as little as half an hour.

天气可以在短短半小时之内完全改变。

4 what little (also the little (that))POSSIBLE used to emphasize how small an amount there is, how small an amount is possible etc 仅有的一点；尽可能的一点

We did what little we could to help.

我们已尽绵薄之力。

I handed over what little money I had left.

我把仅剩的一点钱交了出来。

Examples from the Corpus

what little• Constant logging threatens to wipe out the little that is left of the rain forest.• After these meetings we would all sit and eat together what little groceries the people had been able to collect.• At times, Alvin clung slavishly to what little he had observed firsthand of the process of making dances.• By now Dad was sixty-five, and what little lenience he may once have possessed had long since hardened into steely inflexibility.• Archie suddenly loomed over me, his bloated Zeppelin figure blocking out what little light there was.• They spent what little money they had on a new stereo.• The majority of the displaced are therefore reluctant to leave the camps and prefer what little protection the church can offer.• Grandmother eats what Little Red Cap has brought her; and the girl has learned her lesson.• It was appalling and ridiculous, and this inner battle was draining away what little strength she had left.• Personally, I used to devote what little thought I could muster to the question of nutcrackers.

5 a little (of something) goes a long way spoken used to say that only a small amount of something is needed or has a great effect 一点点（某物）就已足够[有很大的作用]

A little kindness goes a long way.

小小的善举能有大作用。

Examples from the Corpus

a little (of something) goes a long way• A little ketchup goes a long way.• Clearly, a little imagination goes a long way.• Like a powerful adhesive, a little of it goes a long way.

5 GRAMMAR 语法

A little and little are used before uncountable nouns. a little 和 little 均用于不可数名词前。

We still have a little time left.

我们还剩一点时间。

A little means ‘some, but not a lot’. a little 意为 "有一些，但不多"

I’ve got a bit of money left.

我还剩下一点钱。

In spoken British English, it is more usual to say a bit of. 在英国英语口语中，更常用 a bit of

There is now little hope of success.

目前成功希望渺茫。

Little on its own (without a ) means ‘not much’. It emphasizes how small the amount is. It is mainly used in writing or formal speech. little(没有 a 时)意为 “很少”，强调数量非常少，主要用于书面语或正式讲话

There was not much milk left.

剩下的牛奶不多了。

In conversation or informal writing, it is more usual to say not much. 在对话或非正式书面语中，更常用 not much

n GRAMMAR: Comparison

a little

A little means ‘some, but not a lot’.

You use a little before uncountable nouns:

We still have a little time left.

You can say a little of the:

A little of the milk got spilled.

✗Don’t say: A little of milk got spilled.

little

Little is mainly used in more formal English. It means ‘not much’ and emphasizes how small an amount is.

You use little before uncountable nouns:

There is little chance of success.

You can say very little:

He has very little money.

In everyday English, people usually say not much instead:

There is not much chance of success.

He does not have much money.

Examples from the Corpus

very little• We drink only occasionally, and even then very little.• The rich supposedly think otherwise -- and manage to pay very little.• Considering they work so hard they're paid very little.• A younger person marrying and taking on a teenage family may know very little about adolescents.• The soup is made with lots of vegetables but very little chicken.• Changing the law will make very little difference.• In some places, we find very little distinction between male and female.• Supplying that, they have time for very little else.• I had very little energy left.• Fish contains very little fat.• "How much do you know about computers?" "Very little, I'm afraid."• There was no ink in the bottle and very little left in the pen.• Even with the few remaining assets, there is very little margin to work on.• When Maria lost her job she had very little money in savings.• A white spot on a yellow model gathered very little more response.• From that moment on I saw very little of Dean, and I was a little sorry too.• He ate very little of the food we had given him.• He spends very little on food.• It makes very little sense for companies to maintain large inventories these days.• Kendall's condition has improved very little since last week.• There is very little slack built into the system and usually not much tolerance for errors.• The area has a lot of deer, but very little water and not much open space.

little3 S1 W1 adverbadv

1 a little LITTLE/NOT MUCHslightly or to a small degree 少许，一点 SYN a bit

She trembled a little as she spoke.

她说话时有些颤抖。

He was a little surprised at her request.

对于她的请求，他有点吃惊。

a little more/better/further etc

We’ll have to wait a little longer to see what happens.

我们得再等一会儿，看看会发生什么事情。GRAMMAR 语法When you use a littlewith an adjective, it should come before the adjective, not after it. 与形容词连用时，a little应置于形容词前，而不能置后: I was a little worried about her (NOT 不说 I was worried a little ...). 我有点替她担心。

5You cannot use a little with an adjective before a noun. Use rather or slightly: It was a rather strange situation (NOT a little strange situation).

a little 加形容词不能用在名词前。要用 rather 或 slightly: It was a rather strange situation (不说 a little strange situation). 这局面相当奇怪。

Examples from the Corpus

a little more/better/further etc• With a little more black in her eyeliner and sediment in her voice, she could be ready to play Blanche DuBois.• Those who like to live a little more dangerously will explore discounted variable rate offers.• Among many seventeenth-century Puritans, a little more leeway about the value of good works in salvation was allowed.• Want something a little more personal?• I smoothed a little more powder on my face.• Or soon will... if it can just find a little more room.• There is a little more stress and movement around door frames than elsewhere.• After 1995, the two companies in New Jersey will have a little more than 40,000 employees.

2 LITTLE/NOT MUCHnot much or only slightly 很少，略微

The town has changed little over the years.

这些年来，小镇几乎没有什么变化。

The situation has improved very little.

情形没怎么好转。

little known/understood etc (=not known about by many people) 鲜为人知的

a little known corner of the world

世上鲜为人知的角落

little more/better etc (than something)

His voice was little more than a whisper.

他的说话声就像是窃窃私语。

3 little did somebody know/realize/think etc NOTused to say that someone did not know or think that something would happen or was true 某人没有想到/意识到/认为等〔某事会发生或是真的〕

Little did I know that the course of my life was about to change.

当时我一点也没有想到，我的人生轨迹即将发生变化。

Examples from the Corpus

little did somebody know/realize/think etc• But little did he know at the time, how soon he'd need it.

4 little by little SLOWgradually 逐渐地

Little by little he became accepted by the family.

他渐渐地被这家人接受了。

Examples from the Corpus

little by little• Little by little I became more fluent in German.• Bingo broke me in and taught me the ropes, and little by little I became his boy.• But little by little he would piece it all together.• But time went on, and little by little I realized that this was not going to happen.• I run my fingers over this invisible object, and little by little curiosity gets the better of me.• Then little by little words are exchanged.• Then, little by little, step by step, their dreams grow with the size of their business.• These things, therefore, became little by little private property.• This proved difficult and Josef Vissarionovich had to be blown up little by little over a period of two weeks.

5 more than a little/not a little literaryVERY extremely 非常，十分

Graham was more than a little frightened by what he had seen.

格雷厄姆被眼前所见吓了一大跳。

n GRAMMAR: Word order

You use a little before an adjective:

I was a little worried about her.

✗Don’t say: I was worried a little about her.

Examples from the Corpus

little• Harrison felt little inclined to confide in Berthoud.• The 4. 3 cents were little noticed when they were added, and will be little noticed if removed.• The pattern of life here has changed little since I was a boy.

very little• The rich supposedly think otherwise -- and manage to pay very little.• A younger person marrying and taking on a teenage family may know very little about adolescents.• In some places, we find very little distinction between male and female.• Supplying that, they have time for very little else.• Even with the few remaining assets, there is very little margin to work on.• A white spot on a yellow model gathered very little more response.• From that moment on I saw very little of Dean, and I was a little sorry too.• There is very little slack built into the system and usually not much tolerance for errors.

Origin little1

Old English lytel

词汇	little
释义	little Word family nounlittlenesslittlielittlinglittle fingerlittle peopleadjectivelittleworthlittle ldoce_730_zlit·tle1 /ˈlɪtl/ ●●● S1 W1 adjectiveadj 1 size 尺寸SMALL [usually before noun] small in size 小的 a little house 小屋 a cake decorated with little flowers 点缀着小花的蛋糕 She was cutting the meat up into little bits. 她把肉切成小丁。 little tiny/tiny little spoken (=extremely small) 极小的，丁点大的 a little tiny puppy 丁点大的小狗 little bitty American EnglishAmE spoken (=extremely small) 极小的 a little something informal (=a small present, or a small amount of food) 小礼物；少量的食物 I’d like to buy him a little something to thank him. 我想给他买样小东西谢谢他。 ► see thesaurus at small 2 SMALLSTH you like or dislike 喜欢或厌恶之物 [only before noun] used between an adjective and a noun to emphasize that you like or dislike something or someone, although they are not important, impressive etc 小的〔用于形容词和名词之间，强调喜欢或厌恶〕 It could be a nice little business. 这可能是一门不错的小生意。 a useful little gadget 一件有用的小玩意儿 It was another of her silly little jokes. 这是她开的另一个愚蠢的小玩笑。 a boring little man 一个无趣的小男人 poor little thing (=used to show sympathy) 可怜的小东西〔表示同情〕 The poor little thing had hurt its wing. 这可怜的小东西翅膀受伤了。 3 a little bit a) a small amount of something 少量 a little bit of With a little bit of luck we should finish by five o’clock. 我们有点运气的话，5点钟之前应该能完成。 I’m going to give you a little bit of advice. 我要给你一点小小的建议。 Let me tell you a little bit about myself. 我来给你稍微讲讲我自己吧。 b) slightly or to a small degree 少许，一点 I was a little bit disappointed. 我有点失望。 Examples from the Corpus a little bit• I prefer to talk a little bit.• I really just did it for a little bit, and then gave it up.• There was, I suspect, a little bit of Otago isolationism involved.• He was even maybe a little bit relieved, because immediately it was clear that Ernie was what she needed. 4 time/distance 时间/距离NEARSHORT TIME [only before noun] short in time or distance 短时间的；短距离的 You could have a little sleep in the car. 你可以在车里小睡一会儿。 We walked a little way along this path. 我们沿着这条小路走了一小段。 He arrived a little while ago. 他刚到一会儿。 5 young 年幼的YOUNG little children are young 年轻的，幼小的 We didn’t have toys like this when I was little. 在我小时候，我们没有这样的玩具。 little boy/girl two little boys playing in the street 两个在街上玩耍的小男孩 somebody’s little boy/girl (=someone’s son or daughter who is still a child) 某人的小儿子/女儿〔指尚未成年〕 Mum, I’m 17 – I’m not your little girl any longer. 妈，我17岁了——我不再是你的小女孩了。 somebody’s little brother/sister (=a younger brother or sister who is still a child) 某人的小弟弟/妹妹〔指仍然是孩子〕 Her little brother and sister were fighting again. 她年幼的弟弟和妹妹又在打架了。 ► see thesaurus at young 6 LITTLE/NOT VERYslight 轻微的 [only before noun] done in a way that is not very noticeable 微弱的；不明显的；轻微的 a little smile 微微一笑 Nicolo gave a little nod of his head. 尼科洛微微点了点头。 7 unimportant 不重要的 [only before noun] a) LITTLE/NOT VERYnot important 不重要的 She gets very angry over little things. 她为一点小事就会很生气。 There isn’t time to discuss every little detail. 没有时间讨论每一个琐碎的细节了。 b) IMPORTANTnot important – used when you really think that something is important 微不足道的〔指实际上认为某事很重要〕 There’s just that little matter of the £5,000 you owe me. 就是你欠我5,000英镑这件小事情。 8 (just) that little bit better/easier etc LITTLE/NOT MUCHbetter, easier etc by a small amount that will have an important effect （就）更好/更简单一点等〔指量少而效果大〕 Working fewer hours will make life just that little bit easier for me. 工作时间少几个小时就会让我的生活轻松一点。 Examples from the Corpus (just) that little bit better/easier etc• We have put together a few of the most popular itineraries to help make your choice that little bit easier. 9. the little woman old-fashionedMARRY someone’s wife – often used humorously but now considered offensive by many women 老婆，婆娘〔指某人的妻子；常为幽默用法，但现在许多妇女认为此说法具有冒犯性〕 Examples from the Corpus the little woman• A pinstriped husband in the city patronisingly fond of the little woman and her projects.• What is incomprehensible is John McEnroe's apparent efforts to keep the little woman at home.• The report explodes the myth that men are the bed-hopping rogues while the little woman waits at home. → a little bird told me at bird(4) 5 GRAMMAR 语法 You can say smaller or smallest , but ‘littler’ and ‘littlest’ are not often used. 可以说 smaller 或 smallest，但 'littler' 和 'littlest' 很罕见 Her feet are even smaller (NOT 不说 littler/more little) than mine. 她的脚比我的还要小。 You can use words like ‘quite’, ‘very’, and ‘too’ in front of small , but do not use them with little . 可在 small 前用 'quite'、'very'、'too' 等词，但不能在 little 前使用 a very small car (NOT 不说 a very little car) 一辆非常小的汽车 n Grammar Order of adjectives If there is more than one adjective, the adjectives are usually used in a fixed order. You say: What a pretty little cottage! ✗Don’t say: What a little pretty cottage! You say: I bought a little black bag. ✗Don’t say: I bought a black little bag. Comparatives You can say smaller or smallest, but ‘littler’ and ‘littlest’ are not often used. You say: 可以说 smaller 或 smallest，但 'littler' 和 'littlest' 很罕见 Her feet are even smaller than mine. 她的脚比我的还要小。 ✗Don’t say: Her feet are even littler than mine. \| Her feet are more little than mine. 5 FREQUENCY 使用频率 Examples from the Corpus little• I loved playing with blocks when I was little.• a poor little bird• Her little boy was Johnny, seven years old, dark-eyed and sweet.• What an annoying little boy!• What a lovely little dog!• She was only about seventeen, with the most beautiful little face I had ever seen.• a little farm on the hill• I haven't seen one of those since I was a little girl.• They've been married for ten years and have two little girls.• The little Hoflin, who had her speciality showpiece in Act Two, did it very badly and finally tripped and fell.• They bought a nice little house near the beach.• a nice little house• Todd's stupid little jokes• a little laugh• On the jetty near the little lighthouse is a remarkably good restaurant.• Delicate little Louise, requiring round-the-clock, year-long, life-long protection.• There's just that little matter of the $5000 you owe me.• a little nap• We saw a little old lady with a walking-stick.• There were three bridesmaids at the wedding, and even the little one behaved beautifully.• So this little one is a surprise.• a cute little puppy• Where the Aztecs are is just a little short.• It's just a little souvenir I brought back from Italy• Oh, the poor little thing, he's hurt his paw.• Alice gets angry over little things.• He had climbed a little way up the tree and gotten scared. a little something• So I thought, a little push, a little shove, a little something extra to shake it loose.• Pawlowski knows a little something about horsepower.• Here's a little something from the girls in the office.• Well, I ate a little something in my room earlier.• Before that, and this should tell you a little something, it was not much more attractive for Stanford.• Can yet give us a little something now, Morreen.• This time aliens stop by for a visit and leave a little something, um, behind.• I always bring Maggie a little something when I come back from business trips.• Let me just tell you a little something!• Mrs Fanning also stood up and said she could stand to leave behind a little something. nice little• The suit he wore was fabulous - a sort of electric blue braiding, a nice little cabaret job.• Found me some water and made me a nice little crop.• That would be a nice little earner for us.• These were the nice little gestures that went with the setting.• What is more she doesn't want to leave her home, a nice little house that she inherited from her parents.• Oh, Gramps, she thought tiredly, what a nice little legacy you left your granddaughter.• But now I have Timmy, a nice little man and a grand companion. a little while• I now had some helpful connections in Warsaw, even if for only a little while.• It might take me a little while.• So he stays at Camelot for a little while.• He came down from Massachusetts for a little while and paid a call on Whitman in Brooklyn.• I waited a little while before I called back.• I adjusted my tie and buttoned up the coat which, a little while later, I would be unbuttoning.• And Gabby hoped he was right, as they took their seats a little while later.• Just for a little while listen to me!• Stop by and learn a little while you enjoy the tunes. little boy/girl• I was a clever little girl.• She saw herself as such a jolly little girl.• As after all I was not a bad little boy but I was shy and covered it up by bravado.• You will interfere with my responsibilities regarding this very lost little boy only at supreme hazard to yourself.• Maria Luisa isn't the gullible little girl she was last year in Seville.• Nobody pushed little boys to play sports if they preferred to cook instead; nobody mocked little girls who collected spiders.• I encouraged a little boy to write the makers of his favorite mustard, telling them about his delight in their product.• He persisted, and discovered that the little boy was called Grégoire. little2 ●●● S1 W1 determiner , pronoun 1 LITTLE/NOT MUCHonly a small amount or hardly any of something 一点；少得几乎没有 There’s little doubt in my mind that he’s guilty. 我心里几乎毫不怀疑他是有罪的。 I paid little attention to what the others were saying. 我不大注意别人在说什么。 Little is known about the causes of the problem. 这个问题的起因人们所知甚少。 Changes in the law have done little to improve the situation. 修改法律对于改善局势几乎没有什么作用。 little of Little of their wealth now remains. 他们的财富现在已经所剩无几。 There’s very little money left. 没剩下多少钱了。 Many of the students speak little or no English. 许多学生几乎一点英语也不会说。 He knew little or nothing (=almost nothing) about fixing cars. 他对修车几乎一无所知。 My lawyer advised me to say as little as possible. 我的律师建议我尽量少说。 He did precious little (=very little) to help. 他没有帮多少忙。 The laboratory tests are of little real value. 这些实验室测试几乎没什么实际的价值。 2 a little LITTLE/NOT MUCHa small amount 少量的 Fortunately I had a little time to spare. 幸好我能抽出一点时间来。 Susan speaks a little French. 苏珊会说一点法语。 A little over half the class can swim. 班上有一半多一点的人会游泳。 He walked on a little (=a short distance) and then turned back. 他往前走了一小段，然后掉头往回走。 a little more/less Would you like a little more milk in your coffee? 你的咖啡里要再加一点牛奶吗？ a little of The city is regaining a little of its former splendour. 这座城市正在一点点恢复昔日的辉煌。 Examples from the Corpus a little• "Do you feel sad that you're leaving?" "Just a little."• I could see that Mrs Ewing's hand was trembling a little.• "Do you speak French?" "Just a little."• "Would you like some more coffee?" "Just a little."• I know only a little bit of Korean.• Gas prices have fallen a little, but they are still much higher than last year.• I have a little cash with me, but not enough to pay for both of us.• He earns a little extra by working on weekends.• If we all used a little less paper, we'd probably save a forest or two.• If I were you I'd use a little less salt next time.• A little make-up would make her look so much more attractive.• A private room costs a little more, but it's worth it.• I think I'll try a little of the casserole.• I can understand a little of the frustration he must be feeling.• A little of the grease got on my skirt.• A little over half the class can swim.• His work has improved a little since he began the special classes.• I'm feeling a little tired, I think I'll go upstairs and have a rest.• Most people will give a little to charity if they are asked.• I'm a little upset with you right now. 3 as little as £5/3 months/10 feet etc used to emphasize how surprisingly small an amount is 只是5英镑/3个月/10 英尺等而已〔表示数量少得令人惊讶〕 Prices for his paintings start from as little as £100. 他的画起价只有100英镑。 The weather can change completely in as little as half an hour. 天气可以在短短半小时之内完全改变。 4 what little (also the little (that))POSSIBLE used to emphasize how small an amount there is, how small an amount is possible etc 仅有的一点；尽可能的一点 We did what little we could to help. 我们已尽绵薄之力。 I handed over what little money I had left. 我把仅剩的一点钱交了出来。 Examples from the Corpus what little• Constant logging threatens to wipe out the little that is left of the rain forest.• After these meetings we would all sit and eat together what little groceries the people had been able to collect.• At times, Alvin clung slavishly to what little he had observed firsthand of the process of making dances.• By now Dad was sixty-five, and what little lenience he may once have possessed had long since hardened into steely inflexibility.• Archie suddenly loomed over me, his bloated Zeppelin figure blocking out what little light there was.• They spent what little money they had on a new stereo.• The majority of the displaced are therefore reluctant to leave the camps and prefer what little protection the church can offer.• Grandmother eats what Little Red Cap has brought her; and the girl has learned her lesson.• It was appalling and ridiculous, and this inner battle was draining away what little strength she had left.• Personally, I used to devote what little thought I could muster to the question of nutcrackers. 5 a little (of something) goes a long way spoken used to say that only a small amount of something is needed or has a great effect 一点点（某物）就已足够[有很大的作用] A little kindness goes a long way. 小小的善举能有大作用。 Examples from the Corpus a little (of something) goes a long way• A little ketchup goes a long way.• Clearly, a little imagination goes a long way.• Like a powerful adhesive, a little of it goes a long way. 5 GRAMMAR 语法 A little and little are used before uncountable nouns. a little 和 little 均用于不可数名词前。 We still have a little time left. 我们还剩一点时间。 A little means ‘some, but not a lot’. a little 意为 "有一些，但不多" I’ve got a bit of money left. 我还剩下一点钱。 In spoken British English, it is more usual to say a bit of. 在英国英语口语中，更常用 a bit of There is now little hope of success. 目前成功希望渺茫。 Little on its own (without a ) means ‘not much’. It emphasizes how small the amount is. It is mainly used in writing or formal speech. little(没有 a 时)意为 “很少”，强调数量非常少，主要用于书面语或正式讲话 There was not much milk left. 剩下的牛奶不多了。 In conversation or informal writing, it is more usual to say not much. 在对话或非正式书面语中，更常用 not much n GRAMMAR: Comparison a little A little means ‘some, but not a lot’. You use a little before uncountable nouns: We still have a little time left. You can say a little of the: A little of the milk got spilled. ✗Don’t say: A little of milk got spilled. little Little is mainly used in more formal English. It means ‘not much’ and emphasizes how small an amount is. You use little before uncountable nouns: There is little chance of success. You can say very little: He has very little money. In everyday English, people usually say not much instead: There is not much chance of success. He does not have much money. Examples from the Corpus very little• We drink only occasionally, and even then very little.• The rich supposedly think otherwise -- and manage to pay very little.• Considering they work so hard they're paid very little.• A younger person marrying and taking on a teenage family may know very little about adolescents.• The soup is made with lots of vegetables but very little chicken.• Changing the law will make very little difference.• In some places, we find very little distinction between male and female.• Supplying that, they have time for very little else.• I had very little energy left.• Fish contains very little fat.• "How much do you know about computers?" "Very little, I'm afraid."• There was no ink in the bottle and very little left in the pen.• Even with the few remaining assets, there is very little margin to work on.• When Maria lost her job she had very little money in savings.• A white spot on a yellow model gathered very little more response.• From that moment on I saw very little of Dean, and I was a little sorry too.• He ate very little of the food we had given him.• He spends very little on food.• It makes very little sense for companies to maintain large inventories these days.• Kendall's condition has improved very little since last week.• There is very little slack built into the system and usually not much tolerance for errors.• The area has a lot of deer, but very little water and not much open space. little3 ●●● S1 W1 adverbadv 1 a little LITTLE/NOT MUCHslightly or to a small degree 少许，一点 SYN a bit She trembled a little as she spoke. 她说话时有些颤抖。 He was a little surprised at her request. 对于她的请求，他有点吃惊。 a little more/better/further etc We’ll have to wait a little longer to see what happens. 我们得再等一会儿，看看会发生什么事情。GRAMMAR 语法When you use a littlewith an adjective, it should come before the adjective, not after it. 与形容词连用时，a little应置于形容词前，而不能置后: I was a little worried about her (NOT 不说 I was worried a little ...). 我有点替她担心。 5You cannot use a little with an adjective before a noun. Use rather or slightly: It was a rather strange situation (NOT a little strange situation). a little 加形容词不能用在名词前。要用 rather 或 slightly: It was a rather strange situation (不说 a little strange situation). 这局面相当奇怪。 Examples from the Corpus a little more/better/further etc• With a little more black in her eyeliner and sediment in her voice, she could be ready to play Blanche DuBois.• Those who like to live a little more dangerously will explore discounted variable rate offers.• Among many seventeenth-century Puritans, a little more leeway about the value of good works in salvation was allowed.• Want something a little more personal?• I smoothed a little more powder on my face.• Or soon will... if it can just find a little more room.• There is a little more stress and movement around door frames than elsewhere.• After 1995, the two companies in New Jersey will have a little more than 40,000 employees. 2 LITTLE/NOT MUCHnot much or only slightly 很少，略微 The town has changed little over the years. 这些年来，小镇几乎没有什么变化。 The situation has improved very little. 情形没怎么好转。 little known/understood etc (=not known about by many people) 鲜为人知的 a little known corner of the world 世上鲜为人知的角落 little more/better etc (than something) His voice was little more than a whisper. 他的说话声就像是窃窃私语。 3 little did somebody know/realize/think etc NOTused to say that someone did not know or think that something would happen or was true 某人没有想到/意识到/认为等〔某事会发生或是真的〕 Little did I know that the course of my life was about to change. 当时我一点也没有想到，我的人生轨迹即将发生变化。 Examples from the Corpus little did somebody know/realize/think etc• But little did he know at the time, how soon he'd need it. 4 little by little SLOWgradually 逐渐地 Little by little he became accepted by the family. 他渐渐地被这家人接受了。 Examples from the Corpus little by little• Little by little I became more fluent in German.• Bingo broke me in and taught me the ropes, and little by little I became his boy.• But little by little he would piece it all together.• But time went on, and little by little I realized that this was not going to happen.• I run my fingers over this invisible object, and little by little curiosity gets the better of me.• Then little by little words are exchanged.• Then, little by little, step by step, their dreams grow with the size of their business.• These things, therefore, became little by little private property.• This proved difficult and Josef Vissarionovich had to be blown up little by little over a period of two weeks. 5 more than a little/not a little literaryVERY extremely 非常，十分 Graham was more than a little frightened by what he had seen. 格雷厄姆被眼前所见吓了一大跳。 n GRAMMAR: Word order You use a little before an adjective: I was a little worried about her. ✗Don’t say: I was worried a little about her. Examples from the Corpus little• Harrison felt little inclined to confide in Berthoud.• The 4. 3 cents were little noticed when they were added, and will be little noticed if removed.• The pattern of life here has changed little since I was a boy. very little• The rich supposedly think otherwise -- and manage to pay very little.• A younger person marrying and taking on a teenage family may know very little about adolescents.• In some places, we find very little distinction between male and female.• Supplying that, they have time for very little else.• Even with the few remaining assets, there is very little margin to work on.• A white spot on a yellow model gathered very little more response.• From that moment on I saw very little of Dean, and I was a little sorry too.• There is very little slack built into the system and usually not much tolerance for errors. Origin little1 Old English lytel
随便看	the weak/weakest link the wealthy the weather the web the-web the Web theweb the wedding march the-wedding-march the weed the wee frees the-wee-frees the wee hours the week after next the week before the week before last the week ending the week ending something the week ending sth the-wee-small-hours the wee small hours the wee (small) hours the weft the weimar republic the-weimar-republic 做脚色做脸做证做账做贼心虚做酒做针线做阔做难做饭做饭的做鬼做鬼脸做黄梅停停业停产停付停伙停伫停住停停停停当当停凝停刊