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little finger
li·thog·ra·phy /lɪˈθɒɡrəfi||ˈlɪθɑː-/ n [U] a process for printing patterns, pictures etc from a piece of stone or metal —phic /ˌlɪθəˈɡræfɪk/ adj —phically /kli/ adv
Lith·u·a·ni·a /ˌlɪθjuˈeɪniəlˌlɪθə-/ a country in northeast Europe on the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Poland, which used to be part of the former SOVIET UNION. Lithuania joined the EU in 2004. Population: 3,592,561 (2003). Capital: Vilnius. —Lithuanian n, adj
lit·i·gant /ˈlɪtɪɡənt/ n tech a person on one side or the other in a noncriminal case being decided by a law court
lit·i·gate /ˈlɪtɪɡeɪt/ v [I] tech to take a noncriminal matter to a court of law for a decision
lit·i·ga·tion /ˌlɪtɪˈɡeɪʃən/ n [U] tech the process of making and defending claims in a court of law, in noncriminal matters
li·ti·gious /lɪˈtɪdʒəs/ adj fml, often derog habitually liking to take matters of disagreement to a court of law; fond of litigation —ness n [U]
lit·mus /ˈlɪtməs/ n [U] a substance which turns red when touched by an acid substance and blue when touched by an ALKALI
'litmus ,paper n [U] (a piece of) paper treated with litmus used to test whether a liquid is acidic or ALKALINE
'litmus ,test n [S] 1 something which makes it clear what someone's opinions, feelings, or abilities are: His views on the siting of the new town are a litmus test of the Government's policy on the environment. 2 a test using litmus paper
li·to·tes /ˈlaɪtətiːz, laɪˈtətiːz/ n [U] tech a way of expressing a thought by its opposite, especially with 'not' (as in not bad ='good'); UNDERSTATEMENT
li·tre BrE || -ter AmE /ˈliːtər/ n a metric measure of liquid: a litre of oil → see TABLE 2
lit·ter¹ /ˈlɪtər/ n 1 [U] waste material thrown away, especially bits of paper scattered untidily in a public place: The streets were full of litter. 2 [C+sing./pl. v] a group of young animals, such as KITTENS or PIGLETS, born at the same time to one mother 3 [U] a) a pile of STRAW used as an animal's bed b) a special substance in the form of small grains kept on a litter tray to be used by house animals, especially cats, to empty their bowels on when indoors: cat litter 4 [C] a bed or seat with handles, used especially in former times for carrying people who were wounded or ill, or rich people
litter² v [T(with)] to cover untidily with scattered litter or something similar: The streets were littered with old cans and other rubbish. | Piles of books and papers littered her desk. | (fig.) The book is littered with (=full of) mistakes.
'litter ,bin also 'litter ,basket n BrE a container for objects to be thrown away, especially in a public place → compare WASTEPAPER BASKET
'litter ,lout BrE || lit·ter·bug /ˈlɪtəbʌɡ||-ər-/ especially AmE — n derog a person who leaves litter in public places
lit·tle¹ /ˈlɪtl/ adj 1 small, especially in a way that is attractive or produces sympathy: They live in a little cottage in Scotland. | What a nice little garden! | There were two little birds on the windowsill. | The poor little thing has cut its foot. 2 [A] short: She sat with him for a little while. 3 young: a little boy | my little girl (=my daughter) | my little (=younger) brother | She's too little to ride a bicycle. → see CHILD (USAGE) 4 [A] not important; TRIVIAL: the little things of life | one or two little problems to sort out 5 little things please little minds derog a phrase used to criticize someone who is too concerned with small or unimportant things
Compare little and small. Little often suggests that you are talking about something which is pleasantly small: I used to go there when I was a little girl. | I'd like to have a little house of my own. Small does not have this suggestion: Some small boys tried to steal a tape-recorder from my car. | I wouldn't like to live in such a small house.
little² adv less, least 1 to only a small degree: a little-known fact | The book is little more than (=not much more than) a rehash of old ideas. 2 fml or pomp (with verbs of feeling and knowing) not at all: They little thought that the truth would be discovered. | Little did they know that we were watching them. 3 rarely: I go there very little/as little as possible.
little³ determiner, pron, n less, least 1 [U] (with [U] nouns; used without a or only to show the smallness of the amount) not much; not enough: I have very little (money) left. | I understood little of what she said. | I have so little time to enjoy myself. (compare I have so few chances ...) | There is little hope of an agreement being reached. | It would take less (=not so much) time if you went by train. | no less than a mile | the one that costs the least (money) (=the smallest amount) | We did what little we could to help the refugees. (=we did what we could, but this was not very much) | We see very little of our children (=we do not see them often) now that they are grown up. → compare FEW, PLENTY¹ 2 [S(with U nouns; used with a or the)] a small amount, but at least some: a few eggs and a little milk | There's only a (very) little left. | Give me a little more of that wine. | It tastes nice if you add a little salt. | 'Would you like some more tea?' 'Just a little.' | We had a little trouble finding the house. → compare FEW 3 [S] a short time or distance: He came back after a little. | Can't you stay a little longer? | a little over 60 years ago | We walked a little further along the road. 4 a little also a little bit infml — to some degree; rather: I was a little annoyed. | (fml) I was not a little annoyed. (=I was really rather annoyed) | He thinks it's all a little bit stupid 5 little by little gradually: Little by little things returned to normal. 6 make little of fml a) to treat as unimportant: She made little of her worries. b) to not understand much of: I could make very little of his explanation. → compare make much of (MUCH²); see FEW (USAGE), MORE² (USAGE) 7 too little too late not enough of something, especially money, and given too late: He described the government's rescue package as 'too little too late'.
Little, Ralf /rælf/ (1981-) a British actor who is best known for playing the character of Antony Royle in the British television series The Royle Family.
,Little 'Bear, the another name for URSA MINOR a group of bright stars
Little Big·horn, the /ˌlɪtl bɪɡhɔːn||-hɔrn/ a river in the US state of Montana, where General CUSTER fought against and was killed by Native Americans led by SITTING BULL and CRAZY HORSE in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876
,little black 'book n infml, humor a small book in which someone, especially a man, keeps the names and telephone numbers of his girlfriends: 'Have you got Sandra's number?' 'I'll just look in my little black book.'
,little black 'dress also ,little black 'number n infml humor a woman's dress with thin SHOULDER STRAPS made of a black usually silky material and worn to COCKTAIL parties. This kind of dress was originally DESIGNED by the French fashion designer Coco Chanel. → see Feature on page A7
Little Bo Peep /ˌlɪtl bəʊ ˈpiːp/ also Bo Peep a character in a NURSERY RHYME (=an old song or poem for young children). She is a young girl who loses the sheep that she is supposed to be taking care of
Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep
And doesn't know where to find them;
Leave them alone, and they'll come home,
Bringing their tails behind them.
,Little Boy 'Blue a character in a NURSERY RHYME (=an old song or poem for young children). He is a young boy who is dressed in blue and goes to sleep instead of taking care of the cows and sheep
Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn,
The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn;
But where is the boy that looks after the sheep?
He's under a haycock, fast asleep.
,Little 'Chef trademark a chain of restaurants that are near to many MOTORWAYS and main roads in the UK
,Little 'Dipper, the especially AmE another name for URSA MINOR, a group of bright stars
Little Eng·land·er /ˌlɪtl ˈɪɡləndər/ derog n an English person who thinks that everything English is best, and does not like or trust people from other countries
,little 'finger also pinkie ScotE & AmE — n the smallest finger on the hand, which is farthest from the thumb → see picture at HAND