big (redirected from Big Four)

big  (bg)

adj. big·ger, big·gest

1. Of considerable size, number, quantity, magnitude, or extent; large. See Synonyms at large.

2.

a. Of great force; strong: a big wind; in a big rage.

b. Obsolete Of great strength.

3.

a. Mature or grown-up: big enough to take the bus by herself.

b. Older or eldest. Used especially of a sibling: My big brother is leaving for college next week.

4. Pregnant: big with child.

5. Filled up; brimming over: felt big with love.

6. Having or exercising considerable authority, control, or influence: a big official; a big chief.

7. Conspicuous in position, wealth, or importance; prominent: a big figure in the peace movement.

8. Of great significance; momentous: a big decision; a big victory.

9. Informal Widely liked, used, or practiced; popular: "For public opinion . . . has grown harsh and yuppie-bashing is big" (Sally Jacobs).

10. Informal Self-important; cocky: You're too big for your own good.

11. Loud and firm; resounding: a big voice.

12. Bountiful; generous: had a big heart.

adv.

1. In a pretentious or boastful way: talked big about the new job.

2. Informal

a. With considerable success: made it big with their recent best-selling album.

b. In a thorough or unmistakable way; emphatically: failed big at the box office.

Idiom:

big on

Enthusiastic about; partial to: "The Japanese are big on ranking things and deciding which is Number One" (James Fallows).

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[Middle English, perhaps of Scandinavian origin.]

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biggish adj.

bigly adv.

bigness n.

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big¹

adj bigger, biggest

1. of great or considerable size, height, weight, number, power, or capacity

2. having great significance; important a big decision

3. important through having power, influence, wealth, authority, etc. the big four banks

4. (intensifier usually qualifying something undesirable) a big dope

5. Informal considerable in extent or intensity (esp in the phrase in a big way)

6.

a.  elder my big brother

b.  grown-up when you're big, you can stay up later

7.

a.  generous; magnanimous that's very big of you

b.  (in combination) big-hearted

8. (often foll by with) brimming; full my heart is big with sadness

9. extravagant; boastful he's full of big talk

too big for one's boots or breeches conceited; unduly self-confident

11. in an advanced stage of pregnancy (esp in the phrase big with child)

big on Informal enthusiastic about that company is big on research

adv Informal

1. boastfully; pretentiously (esp in the phrase talk big)

2. in an exceptional way; well his talk went over big with the audience

3. on a grand scale (esp in the phrase think big) See also big up

[perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian dialect bugge big man]

biggish  adj

bigness  n

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big²

vb bigs, bigging, bigged, bug [bʌg] Scot

1. to build

2. (Earth Sciences / Geological Science) to excavate (earth) into a pile

[from Old Norse byggja; related to Old English būian to inhabit]

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	big - above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent; "a large city"; "set out for the big city"; "a large sum"; "a big (or large) barn"; "a large family"; "big businesses"; "a big expenditure"; "a large number of newspapers"; "a big group of scientists"; "large areas of the world" large little, small - limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent; "a little dining room"; "a little house"; "a small car"; "a little (or small) group"
	2.	big - significant; "graduation was a big day in his life" colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech important, of import - of great significance or value; "important people"; "the important questions of the day"
	3.	big - very intense; "a bad headache"; "in a big rage"; "had a big (or bad) shock"; "a bad earthquake"; "a bad storm" bad intense - possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree; "intense heat"; "intense anxiety"; "intense desire"; "intense emotion"; "the skunk's intense acrid odor"; "intense pain"; "enemy fire was intense"
	4.	big - loud and firm; "a big voice"; "big bold piano sounds" loud - characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity; "a group of loud children"; "loud thunder"; "her voice was too loud"; "loud trombones"
	5.	big - conspicuous in position or importance; "a big figure in the movement"; "big man on campus"; "he's very large in financial circles"; "a prominent citizen" prominent, large conspicuous - obvious to the eye or mind; "a tower conspicuous at a great distance"; "wore conspicuous neckties"; "made herself conspicuous by her exhibitionistic preening"
	6.	big - prodigious; "big spender"; "big eater"; "heavy investor" heavy intemperate - excessive in behavior; "intemperate rage"
	7.	big - exhibiting self-importance; "big talk" boastful, braggart, bragging, braggy, cock-a-hoop, crowing, self-aggrandising, self-aggrandizing proud - feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride; "proud parents"; "proud of his accomplishments"; "a proud moment"; "proud to serve his country"; "a proud name"; "proud princes"
	8.	big - feeling self-importance; "too big for his britches"; "had a swelled head"; "he was swelled with pride" swelled, vainglorious proud - feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride; "proud parents"; "proud of his accomplishments"; "a proud moment"; "proud to serve his country"; "a proud name"; "proud princes"
	9.	big - (of animals) fully developed; "an adult animal"; "a grown woman" adult, full-grown, fully grown, grown, grownup animal, animate being, beast, creature, fauna, brute - a living organism characterized by voluntary movement mature - having reached full natural growth or development; "a mature cell"
	10.	big - marked by intense physical force; "a big wind" heavy - of great intensity or power or force; "a heavy blow"; "the fighting was heavy"; "heavy seas"
	11.	big - generous and understanding and tolerant; "a heart big enough to hold no grudges"; "that's very big of you to be so forgiving"; "a large and generous spirit"; "a large heart"; "magnanimous toward his enemies" magnanimous, large generous - not petty in character and mind; "unusually generous in his judgment of people"
	12.	big - given or giving freely; "was a big tipper"; "the bounteous goodness of God"; "bountiful compliments"; "a freehanded host"; "a handsome allowance"; "Saturday's child is loving and giving"; "a liberal backer of the arts"; "a munificent gift"; "her fond and openhanded grandfather" bighearted, bounteous, bountiful, giving, openhanded, handsome, freehanded, liberal generous - willing to give and share unstintingly; "a generous donation"
	13.	big - in an advanced stage of pregnancy; "was big with child"; "was great with child" enceinte, gravid, with child, expectant, great, large, heavy pregnant - carrying developing offspring within the body or being about to produce new life
Adv.	1.	big - extremely well; "his performance went over big"
	2.	big - in a boastful manner; "he talked big all evening" boastfully, vauntingly, large
	3.	big - on a grand scale; "think big" small - on a small scale; "think small"
	4.	big - in a major way; "the play failed big at the box office"

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big

adjective

1. large, great, huge, giant, massive, vast, enormous, considerable, substantial, extensive, immense, spacious, gigantic, monumental, mammoth, bulky, burly, colossal, stellar (informal), prodigious, hulking, ponderous, voluminous, fuck-off (offensive taboo slang), elephantine, ginormous (informal), humongous or humungous (U.S. slang), sizable or sizeable Australia's a big country.
large little, small, tiny, mini, wee, miniature, insignificant, diminutive, petite, pint-sized (informal), pocket-sized, pygmy or pigmy

2. important, serious, significant, grave, urgent, paramount, big-time (informal), far-reaching, momentous, major league (informal), weighty Her problem was just too big for her to tackle on her own.
important ordinary, minor, unknown, modest, humble, insignificant, unimportant, ignoble

3. powerful, important, prime, principal, prominent, dominant, influential, paramount, eminent, puissant Their father was very big in the army.

4. difficult, long, learned, formal, complicated, scholarly, erudite They use a lot of big words.

5. grown-up, adult, grown, mature, elder, full-grown He's a big boy now.
grown-up young, immature

6. generous, good, princely, noble, heroic, gracious, benevolent, disinterested, altruistic, unselfish, magnanimous, big-hearted They describe him as an idealist with a big heart.

Quotations
"The bigger they come, the harder they fall" [Robert Fitzsimmons]

Translations

big [bɪg]

A. ADJ (bigger (compar) (biggest (superl)))

1. (in size) [house, book, city] → grande
a big car → un coche grande
a big stick → un palo grande
this dress is too big for me → este vestido me queda demasiado grande
how big is the wardrobe? → ¿cómo es de grande el armario?
he was a big man → era un hombre corpulento
a big woman (= heavily-built) → una mujer grande or grandota (euph) (= fat) → una mujer de grandes dimensiones
there's a big backlog of applications → hay un montón de solicitudes atrasadas
to take a big bite out of sth → dar un buen bocado a algo
the big city → la gran ciudad
I'm not a big eater → no soy de mucho comer
to get or grow big(ger) → crecer
he gave me a big kiss → me dio un besote or un beso fuerte
he likes using big words → le gusta usar palabras difíciles GREAT, BIG, LARGE

2. (= significant, serious) [change, problem] → grande
the biggest problem at the moment is unemployment → el mayor problema de hoy día es el desempleo
the big question is, will he accept? → la cuestión es: ¿aceptará?
it makes a big difference → eso cambia mucho las cosas
you're making a big mistake → estás cometiendo un grave error
a tragedy? that's rather a big word → ¿una tragedia? eso es llevar las cosas un poco lejos

3. (= important) [company, bank] → importante, grande
he's one of our biggest customers → es uno de nuestros clientes más importantes, es uno de nuestros mayores clientes
this is her big day → hoy es su gran día, hoy es un día muy importante para ella
to be big in publishing/plastics → ser muy conocido en el mundo editorial/la industria del plástico
the big match → el partido más importante

4. (in age) [girl, boy] → grande
my big brother/sister → mi hermano/a mayor
big boys don't cry → los niños grandes no lloran
you're a big girl now! → ¡ahora ya eres mayorcita!

5. (as intensifier) he's a big cheat/bully/liar → es un tramposo/un abusón/un mentiroso de marca mayor

6. (in phrases)
the big eight/ten (US) (Univ) las ocho/diez mayores universidades del centro oeste de EE.UU.
to have a big heart → tener un gran corazón
what's the big hurry? → ¿a qué viene tanta prisa?
what's the big idea? → ¿a qué viene eso?
to have big ideas → hacerse ilusiones
don't get any big ideas → no te hagas muchas ilusiones
there's big money in tourism → se puede ganar mucho dinero con el turismo
to make or earn big money → ganar mucho dinero
to have a big mouth (fig) → ser un bocazas
why don't you keep your big mouth shut! → ¡no seas bocazas!
me and my big mouth! → ¡quién me manda decir nada!
Mr Big → el número uno
it was big of you to lend them the money → fue muy generoso de tu parte prestarles el dinero
(that's) big of you! → ¡qué generosidad la tuya!(iro)
to be big on sth/sb → ser un fanático de algo/algn
a big one (US) → un billete de mil dólares
we're onto something big! → ¡hemos dado con algo gordo!
to do sth/things in a big way → hacer algo/las cosas a lo grande
I think boxing will take off in a big way here → pienso que el boxeo va a tener una aceptación buenísima aquí
the big wide world → el ancho mundo
he's too big for his boots → tiene muchos humos
you're getting too big for your boots, young lady! → se te están subiendo mucho los humos, señorita
see also deal ¹ A2 GREAT, BIG, LARGE

B. ADV
to act big → fanfarronear
to go down big → tener muchísimo éxito, ser un verdadero éxito
to make it big → triunfar
she could have made it big as a singer → podría haber triunfado como cantante
to talk big → darse mucha importancia, fanfarronear
to think big → planear a lo grande, ser ambicioso

C. CPD the Big Apple N → la Gran Manzana, Nueva York f CITY NICKNAMES big band N orquesta grande que tocaba música de jazz o de baile y que fue muy popular entre los años 30 y 50
the big bang N (Astron) → el big bang, la gran explosión
the big bang theory → la teoría del big bang or de la gran explosión
Big Ben N (Brit) → Big Ben m
Big Brother N (Pol) (fig) Big Brother is watching you → el Gran Hermano te vigila
big business N (Ind, Comm) → las grandes empresas
tourism is big business in Thailand → el turismo es un gran negocio en Tailandia
the big cats N (Zool) → los grandes felinos
big dipper N (at fair) → montaña f rusa
the Big Dipper (US) (Astron) → la Osa Mayor
the Big Easy N → Nueva Orleans
big end N (Aut) → cabeza f de biela
big fish N (fig) (= person) → pez m gordo
big game N → caza f mayor
big game hunter → cazador(a) m/f de caza mayor
big game hunting → caza f mayor
the big hand N (used to or by children, on clock) → la aguja grande
The Big Issue N (Brit) revista vendida por personas sin hogar → La Farola(Sp)
big name N → figura f importante
big noise big shot N → pez m gordo
big talk N → fanfarronadas fpl
the big time N → el estrellato, el éxito
to make the big time → alcanzar el éxito, triunfar
see also big-time big toe N → dedo m gordo(del pie)
big top N (= circus) → circo m; (= main tent) → carpa f principal
big wheel N (at fair) → noria f (= person) → personaje m, pez m gordo

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big [ˈbɪg]

adj

(= tall) [person, building, tree] → grand(e)
a big house → une grande maison
He's a big guy
BUT C'est un grand gaillard.

[country, city] → grand(e)

(in bulk, amount) [parcel, book, car] → gros(se)
a big car → une grosse voiture

(= fat) [person] → gros(se)

[increase, decrease] → grand(e)

[problem, mistake] → sérieux/euse, grave

in a big way (= big time) → de manière spectaculaire
to fall for sb in a big way → tomber fou* amoureux* de qn(folle)/euse
to do things in a big way → faire les choses en grand
to take off in a big way (= become popular) → démarrer en fanfare, démarrer très fort

[older, brother, sister] → grand(e)
my big brother → mon grand frère
her big sister → sa grande sœur

(= important) → important(e)
to have big ideas → voir grand

big words (= complicated language) → mots savants

adv

to make it big → avoir un succès fou

to think big → voir grand

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big

adj (+er)

(in size, amount) → groß; lie also → faustdick (inf); a big man → ein großer, schwerer Mann; she’s a big girl (inf) → sie hat einen ganz schönen Vorbau (inf); you big girl’s blouse! (Brit inf) → du Angsthase! (inf); 5 big ones (inf) → 5 Riesen (sl); big with child/young → hochschwanger/trächtig

(of age) → groß; my big brother → mein großer Bruder; you’re big enough to know better → du bist groß or alt genug und solltest es besser wissen

(= important) → groß, wichtig; the Big Four/Five → die Großen Vier/Fünf; Mr Big (inf) → der große Boss; to look big (inf) → ein bedeutendes Gesicht machen; to be big in publishing/plastics (inf) → eine Größe im Verlagswesen/der Plastikproduktion sein; to be onto something big (inf) → einer großen Sache auf der Spur sein

(= great) cheat, bully, liar → groß

(= conceited) big talk → Angeberei f (inf), → Großspurigkeit f; big talker → Angeber m (inf), → Maulheld m (inf), → eingebildeter Schwätzer; he’s getting too big for his boots (inf, child) → er wird ein bisschen zu aufmüpfig (inf); (employee) → er wird langsam größenwahnsinnig; to have a big head (inf) → eingebildet sein

(= generous, iro) → großzügig, nobel (inf); (= forgiving) → großmütig, nobel (inf); heart → groß; few people have a heart as big as his → es sind nur wenige so großzügig/großmütig wie er; he was big enough to admit he was wrong → er hatte die Größe zuzugeben, dass er unrecht hatte; that’s really big of you (iro) → wirklich nobel von dir (iro)

(inf: = fashionable) → in (inf)

(fig phrases) to earn big money → das große Geld verdienen (inf); to have big ideas → große Pläne haben, Rosinen im Kopf haben (pej inf); to have a big mouth (inf) → eine große Klappe haben (inf); to do things in a big way → alles im großen (Stil) tun or betreiben; to live in a big way → auf großem Fuß or in großem Stil leben; it’s no big deal (inf: = nothing special) → das ist nichts Besonderes; (= quite all right) → (das ist) schon in Ordnung; big deal! (iro inf) → na und? (inf); (= that’s not much etc) → das ist ja ergreifend! (iro); what’s the big idea? (inf) → was soll denn das? (inf); what’s the big hurry? → warum denn so eilig?; our company is big on service (inf) → unsere Firma ist ganz groß in puncto Kundendienst

adv to talk big → groß daherreden (inf), → große Töne spucken (inf); to act big → sich aufspielen, großtun; to think big → im großen (Maßstab) planen; to go over or down big (inf) → ganz groß ankommen (inf), → großen Anklang finden (with bei); to make it big (as a singer/actor) → (als Sänger(in)/Schauspieler(in)) ganz groß rauskommen (inf)

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big:

Big Apple

n the big (inf) → New York nt

big band

n → Big Band f

adj attr → Bigband-

Big Bang

n (Brit St Ex) → Big Bang m (Tag der Umstellung der Londoner Börse auf Computerbetrieb)

big bang

n (Astron) → Urknall m

big bang theory

n (Astron) → Urknalltheorie f

Big Ben

n → Big Ben m

Big Bertha

n → die Dicke Berta

big-boned

adj → breit- or grobknochig

Big Brother

n → der große Bruder

big bug

n (inf) → hohes Tier (inf)

big business

n

(= high finance) → Großkapital nt, → Hochfinanz f; to be big → das große Geschäft sein

(baby-talk) → großes Geschäft (baby-talk)

big cat

n → Großkatze f

big cheese

n (inf) → hohes Tier (inf)

big dipper

n

(Brit, at fair) → Achterbahn f, → Berg-und-Talbahn f

(US Astron) Big Dipper → Großer Bär or Wagen

big end

n (Tech) → Pleuelfuß m, → Schubstangenkopf m

big-eyed

adj (pej) → gefräßig, unersättlich

big game

n (Hunt) → Großwild nt

big game hunter

n → Großwildjäger m

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big:

bighead

n (inf: = person) → Angeber(in) m(f) (inf), → eingebildeter Fatzke (sl)

bigheaded

adj (inf) → eingebildet, angeberisch (inf)

big-hearted

adj → großherzig, großmütig; (= forgiving) → weitherzig

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big:

Big Issue

n Obdachlosenzeitschrift in Großbritannien mit Ablegern in den USA, Südafrika, Namibia und Australien

bigmouth

n (inf) → Großmaul nt (inf), → Angeber(in) m(f) (inf); (= blabbermouth) → Schwätzer(in) m(f) (pej)

big name

n (inf: = person) → Größe f (→ in +gen); all the bigs were there → alles, was Rang und Namen hat, war da

big noise

n (inf) → hohes Tier (inf)

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big:

big point

n (Tennis) → wichtiger or entscheidender Punkt

big shot

n → hohes Tier (inf); he thinks he is a big in his new Jag (inf) → er hält sich mit seinem neuen Jaguar für den Größten (inf)

big-ticket

adj (US) big item → teure Anschaffung

big time

n (inf) to make or hit the big → groß einsteigen (inf); once he’d had a taste of the big → nachdem er einmal ganz oben or groß gewesen war

big-time (inf)

adj one of the big boys → eine ganz große Nummer (inf); a big politician → eine große Nummer (inf) → in der Politik

adv they lost big → sie haben gewaltig verloren; to sell big (esp US) → große Mengen verkaufen

big toe

n → große Zehe

big top

n (= circus) → Zirkus m; (= main tent) → Hauptzelt nt

big wheel

n

(US inf) = big shot

(Brit, at fair) → Riesenrad nt

bigwig

n (inf) → hohes Tier (inf); the local bigs → die Honoratioren des Ortes

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big [bɪg]

1. adj (-ger (comp) (-gest (superl)))

a. (in height, age, building, tree, person) → grande; (in bulk, amount, parcel, lie, increase) → grosso/a; (important) → grande, importante
my big brother → mio fratello maggiore

b. to make the big time → sfondare
to earn big money → guadagnare forte
to have big ideas → avere delle grandi idee
to do things in a big way → fare le cose in grande
he's too big for his boots (fam) → ha delle belle pretese
why don't you keep your big mouth shut! (fam) → ma perché non tieni chiusa quella boccaccia?
that's big of you! (iro) → che generosità!
big deal! (iro) → capirai!

2. adv (fam) to talk big → dirne tante
to think big → avere delle grandi idee

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big

adj big [big]

1 large in size a big car. groot كَبير голям veliký stor groß μεγάλος σε μέγεθος grande suur بزرگ؛ گنده suurikokoinen gros; grand גָדוֹל बड़ा velik nagy besar stór grande 大きい 큰 didelis liels besar groot stor, kraftig duży grande mare большой veľký velik veliki stor ใหญ่ büyük 大的 великий, просторий بڑا to lớn 大

2 important a big event. belangrike مُهِم важен významný, důležitý vigtig; stor bedeutend σπουδαίος gran, importante tähtis برجسته؛ مهم tärkeä grand חָשוּב महत्वपूर्ण značajan fontos penting mikilvægur grande 重要な 중요한 didis, svarbus svarīgs penting groot stor, viktig ważny grande important важный významný velik značajan stor, viktig สำคัญ önemli, büyük 重要的 важливий, значний اہم quan trọng 重要的

big game

large animals (usually lions, tigers etc) that are hunted He hunts big game in Africa; a big game hunter. grootwild حَيَوانات كَبيرَه едър дивеч divoká, vysoká zvěř storvildt das Großwild μεγάλο θήραμα caza mayor suurulukid حیوانات بزرگ suurriista gros gibier חָיָה גדוֹלָה शिकार के बड़े जंगली जानवर krupna divljač nagyvad binatang buruan besar stór veiðidÿr caccia grossa 大物 (の猟獣, 魚など) 큰 짐승 stambūs žvėrys liels medījums binatang buruan besar groot wild storvilt gruba zwierzyna caça grossa vânat mare крупный зверь divá / vysoká zver velika divjad visoka divljač storvilt สัตว์ใหญ่ที่ถูกล่า büyük av hayvanı 大獵物 крупна дичина بڑا شکار môn săn bắn những loại thú lớn 大猎物

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big → كبير velký stor groß μεγάλος grande iso grand velik grande 大きい 큰 groot stor duży grande большой stor ใหญ่ büyük to lớn 大的