1878. Scribner's Mag., Dec, 283. Looking forward with annoyance to the rather childish first examination, in Oxford language known as Smalls.
3. (theatrical).—A one-night performance in a small town or village by a minor company carrying its own 'fit-up.'
Adv. (colloquial).—Timidly; humbly: e.g. to sing (or speak) small (q.v.).
Small-and-Early, subs. phr.
(colloquial).—An evening party:
informal and breaking up at an
early hour.
1865. Dickens, Mutual Friends xi. For the clearing off of these worthies, Mrs. Podsnap added a small and early evening to the dinner.
Small beer. subs. phr. (colloquial).—1.
Weak beer; hence
(2) trifles. Whence to chronicle
small beer = (1) to engage in
trivial occupations, and (2) to
retail petty scandal; to think
small beer of anything = to
have a poor opinion of it. Also
small things. As adj. =
petty.
1604. Shakspeare, Othello, ii. 1, 161. To suckle fools and chronicle small beer.
d.1666. A Brome, Works [Chalmers, vi. 648, 1]. A dull small-beer sinner.
1712. Addison, Spectator, 269, 8. I allow a double quantity of malt to my small beer.
1832. Southey. The Doctor, Interch., xvi. He thought small beer at that time of some very great patriots and Queenites.
1840. De Quincey, Style [Works, xi. 174]. Should express her self-esteem by the popular phrase, that she did not 'think small beer of herself.'
1844. Thackeray, Barry Lyndon, xiv. All the news of sport, assize, and quarter-sessions were detailed by this worthy chronicler of small beer. Ibid. (1855), Newcomes, xxxix. She thinks small beer of painters, J. J.—well, well, we don't think small beer of ourselves, my noble friend.
1853. Lytton, My Novel, iv. xii. When I say that sum un is gumptious, I mean—though that's more vulgar like—sum un who does not think small beer of hisself.
1880. Academy, 25 Sep., 219. Two such chroniclers of small beer as Boswell and Erskine.
1902. Pall Mall Gaz., 19 Sep., 1. 3. Vogler had reason to think no small things of himself. He was emphatically the popular man of his day; he was followed by enthusiastic admirers.
Small cap O, subs. phr. (printers').—A
second or inferior in command;
an under overseer.
Small cheque, subs. phr. (nautical).—A
dram; a drink. to
knock down a cheque = to
spend all in drink.
Small fry, subs. phr. (colloquial).—Generic
(1) for things little;
and (2) for things trifling or
valueless.
1888. Black, Houseboat, viii. While some of the small fry popped out their heads to have a look.
Small hours, subs. phr. (colloquial).—The
first three or four
hours after midnight: usually
'the small hours of the morning.'
Also short hours.
d.1796. Burns, Death and Dr. Hornbook. Some wee short hours ayont the twal'.
1903. D. Telegraph, 3 Jan., 9, 'Paris Day by Day.' An extraordinary assault has been committed in a third-class carriage of a train which left Paris in the small hours of yesterday morning for Brussels.
Small potatoes. See Potato.
Small pill, subs. phr. (The Leys
School).—A diminutive football:
used on runs.
Smart, adj. and adv. (colloquial).—Generic
for superior, out of the
common, distinguished. [In senses
1, 2, and 3 there is often, but not
necessarily, an implied suspicion
of something questionable.] (1)
