1.little用作形容词时表示“小的,幼小的,矮小的”,指由于因年龄小而身形娇小,含有感情色彩,意思是“小的可爱”“小的可怜”等意思。
2.little的比较级与最高级常用smaller, smallest,而较少用littler, littlest。

in little
小规模地on a small scale
The paragraph is really an essay in little.这一段实际上是一篇小短文。

用作定语
▲～+n.
The little boy is playing the terrible game.那小男孩正在玩可怕的游戏。
What a pretty little house it is!多么小巧玲珑的房子啊!
A few little things apart,I am very pleased with the result.撇开一些小事不谈,我对这个结果很满意。
We mustn't be complacent over our little achievements.我们不应该为一点小成绩而满足。
There is little gasoline left in the tank.油箱里没有多少汽油了。
She stayed here only a little while.她在这里只停留了很短的时间。
用作表语
▲S+be+～
She was beautiful when she was little.她小时候很漂亮。

little, small, tiny
参见small条。

little习惯上不与large并用,表示“大大小小”可与big或great连用。例如:
Great and little minds gathered.大大小小人物聚在一起。

1.little用作副词和感官的动词连用并放在动词前,表示“毫不”“一点也不”。
2.当little用作副词置于句首时,句子采用倒装结构。

little and little
一点一点地;逐渐地making progress slowly;gradually
Little and little the rain stopped.雨渐渐地停了。

little or nothing
几乎无,简直没有hardly anything
However much you may entreat him, you will get little or nothing.无论你向他恳求多少,你都不会得到什么东西的。

make little of
1.轻视,不以为然treat as unimportant
She made little of her worries.她并没有把自己的烦恼放在心上。
2.不明白,看不懂understand or read hardly anything
I read the article carefully but could make little of it.我仔细读了这篇文章,可实在不懂。
Mary could make little of what John was saying.玛丽不懂约翰说什么。

John is little known as a professor.约翰是个不出名的教授。
His father left little more than two hours ago.他父亲离开这里已经有两个多小时了。
Little does he know what trouble he's in.他对自己所处何种地步茫无所知。
I go there very little.我很少去那里。

［同义词］ adj.  short, tiny
［反义词］ adj.  important, large, long
［词源］＜古英语lytel(少,小)

1.little用作代词时有否定意味,接近于nothing。
2.the little, a little或little of在句中用作定语时,谓语动词用单数形式。
3.little可与the连用,用如名词。

after〔for〕 a little
经过很短的距离〔时间〕after〔for〕 a short distance or time
We left the car and walked for a little.我们下车走了一小段路。
He came back after a little.过了一会儿他回来了。

I have little time for reading.我几乎没有时间看书。
I have spent a lot of money,I have very little left.我花掉大部分的钱,剩下的钱已不多了。
Nearly all the wine had been drunk, but we finished the little that was left.酒差不多喝光了,不过我们还是把余下的那点干了。

little, a little
这两者意义并不相同,前者具有否定意义,表示“很少”;后者具有肯定意义,表示“一些,少许”。同样数量的东西,有时可说little,有时可说a little,全凭主观上的看法。试比较:
I have a little money.
我有一点点钱。(虽少但有)
I have little money.
我有少量的钱。(虽有但少)
Little remains to be done.
没有什么可做的了。
A little remains to be done.
还有一点要做一做。
little, few
参见few条。
注意下面两个句子的翻译:
I have not a little money.
［误］  我一点钱都没有。
［正］  我有很多钱。
She was not a little surprised.
［误］  她一点都不吃惊。
［正］  她非常吃惊。