- a little (bit)to a small degree
- She seemed a little afraid of going inside.
- These shoes are a little (bit) too big for me.
- I was a little bit afraid of him.
- These days I'm a little more relaxed.
- (informal) Everything has become just that little bit harder.
- (formal) She felt tired and more than a little worried.
British/American a bit / a littlea bit / a little- In British English it is common to use a bit to mean ‘slightly’ or ‘to a small extent’:
- These shoes are a bit tight.
- I'll be home a bit later tomorrow.
- Can you turn the volume up a bit?
- It is more common in North American English to say a little, or (informal) a little bit. You can also use these phrases in British English:
- These shoes are a little bit too tight.
- I'll be home a little later tomorrow.
- Can you turn the volume up a little bit?
- not much; only slightly
- He is little known as an artist.
- I slept very little last night.
- Little did I know that this spelled the end of my career.
Word OriginOld English lȳtel, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch luttel, German dialect lützel.
Check pronunciation:
little