small change
/'smɔ:l'tʃeindʤ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A small amount of money, especially coins of low value: Refers to money in the form of coins or a very minor sum, often carried for minor purchases.
- An insignificant or trivial amount: Used figuratively to describe something of little value, importance, or consequence.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- I need some small change for the parking meter.
- He gave the beggar a handful of small change.
- The cost of the coffee is just small change to him.
- Compared to the overall budget, that expense is mere small change.
Advanced Usage
- "To not have two pennies/beans to rub together": To be very poor. (Note: This idiom describes poverty, while "small change" is the physical money a poor person might lack).
- "Chicken feed": A very small amount of money, similar to "small change" in its figurative sense.
- The bonus they offered was chicken feed compared to the profits we made.
Variants and Related Words
- Loose change (n): Coins, typically carried in a pocket or purse.
- I found some loose change in my coat pocket.
- Petty cash (n): A small amount of cash kept on hand for minor expenses.
- We can reimburse you from the petty cash fund.
Synonyms
- Coins: Metal money.
- Trifle: A thing of little value or importance.
- Pittance: A very small or inadequate amount of money.
Related Phrases
- Small-time (adj): Insignificant or minor in scope or importance. (Note: This is a compound adjective, not a direct variant of "small change").
- He was just a small-time crook.
Related Idioms
- "To be small change": To be insignificant or unimportant in comparison.
- His complaints are small change compared to the real problems we face.
- "Pin money": A small amount of money for incidental expenses (historically for a woman's personal use).
- She earns a bit of pin money by selling her crafts.
Noun
- a trifling sum of money