I. ˈsīz noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English sise, from Middle French, from Old French, short for assise — more at assize
1. dialect Britain : assize 5a — usually used in plural
2.
a. obsolete : assize 3
b. archaic : a fixed portion of food or drink allowed especially to a university student
3.
a.
(1) : physical magnitude, extent, or bulk : the actual, characteristic, normal, or relative proportion of a thing : relative or proportionate dimensions
measure the size of a box
trees of all sizes
attain full size
(2) : equal magnitude
boys all of a size
b. : relative aggregate amount
the size of an order
the size of her bank account
c. : considerable amount, proportions, volume, character, or importance : bigness
few of the fish attain any size
we saw no inhabited place of any size — Heinrich Harrer
every town of size in the Balkans — Christian Science Monitor
4.
a. : one of a series of graduated measures especially of manufactured articles (as of clothing) conventionally identified by numbers or letters each representing a particular dimension or set of dimensions
a size 7 hat
a shoe of size 4A
size B pajamas
khaki breeches about two sizes too big — Danforth Ross
book sizes
rope sizes
b.
(1) : an article of a particular size
just fills this size of glass
I prefer this size
(2) : one of a series of articles of graduated size
shoe manufacturers make 72 sizes — Women's Wear Daily
c. : count II 8a
5. : character, quality, or status of a person or thing especially with reference to importance, relative merit, or correspondence to needs
the office demands a man of larger size
6.
a. : actual state of affairs : true condition
that's about the size of it
b. : true character or significance — used with down and to and usually with cut or chop
cut his opponent down to size by skillful questioning
Synonyms:
size , dimensions, area , extent , magnitude , volume can signify, in common, the amount of space or, sometimes, time or energy occupied or used. size usually applies to things having length, width, and depth or height whether involving accurate measurements or merely a general impression of smallness or largeness; it often applies to things computed in terms of the individuals comprising them or the space occupied by the individuals or to things having qualities conceived of in terms of largeness or smallness (as a voice)
a box two feet by three in size
a house of small size
the increase in the size of the reading public — Helen Sullivan
his company … has expanded under his management thus far to twice its original size in the number of its employees — Current Biography
the size of its power and potentialities — Rupert Emerson
her remarkably clear and sweet voice is not of great size — New Yorker
dimensions (pl. of dimension, a measurement in a single direction, as in width) is a close synonym of size usu., however, implying more frequently an accurate measurement
compute the exact dimensions of a building lot
this book suggests the dimensions of the modern tasks of the federal government and of its chief executive — J.M.Blum
the dimensions of the artist's genius — Herbert Read
area applies to things measurable in two dimensions or directions only, for example, length and breadth (as of the surface of the ground or a floor)
a parking lot with an area of 1500 square yards
other lakes … have an area of more than 10,000 acres — American Guide Series: Minnesota
a relatively small population compared with the vast area served — Canada Year Book
extent chiefly applies to the measurement in one direction, usually length (as of a driveway), often applying to something conceived of as if it had length; sometimes, however, it is used interchangeably with area or size
estimate to the extent of the territory from east to west
the full extent of its extreme northern boundary — American Guide Series: Arizona
a wide extent of territory — C.D.Forde
the extent of his vocabulary — C.D.Lewis
underestimate the extent of an enemy's vindictiveness
magnitude , largely a mathematical and scientific term, may refer to size or two-dimensional extent or to something whose quantity, extent, or degree are expressible chiefly in mathematical figures
a star of small magnitude
an earthquake of sizable magnitude — Mary W. Shelley
a European catastrophe of a magnitude so appalling, and a scope so unpredictable — G.B.Shaw
volume , though sometimes close in meaning to size , usually refers to anything that can be measured in cubic measurements (as cubic feet) or is thought of in terms of cubic size
the expanding air increased considerably the volume of the balloon
the volume of the box
a voice of small volume
the volume of bank reserves — G.L.Harrison
a much greater volume of credit — Rafael De Haro
the volume of commercial airline passenger traffic — H.G.Armstrong
•
- for size
- of a size
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English sisen, from sise, n.
transitive verb
1. archaic : to fix the standard (as of weight, measure, or capacity) of : conform (something) to standard
2. archaic : to record (a portion of food or drink) as a financial obligation of a university student usually by an appropriate entry in an account book : charge
3.
a. : to make a particular size : bring to proper or suitable size
systems … sized to fit anybody's living room — advt
these cars are sized to the human frame, not to the human ego — Lewis Mumford
they're sized for bill enclosure use — Jewelers' Circular-Keystone
they size clothes to fit, not for children to grow into — Mary B. Picken
chutes for dropping supplies are sized according to the weight of the load they are meant to carry — O.J.Mink
b. : coin 1c
4.
a. : to arrange, grade, or classify according to size or bulk
copper and nickel powders … were sized by screening into the four ranges — Symposium on Powder Metallurgy
b. : to make in a series of graduated sizes conventionally identified by numbers or letters each representing a particular dimension or set of dimensions : grade (as clothing patterns) according to a set of specified measurements
women's rings may be sized to 10; men's to 14 — Sears, Roebuck Cat.
sports shirts sized to fit — G. Fox & Co. Cat.
c. : to check (as clothing) against patterns during manufacture
5. : to arrange (men) in units or formations according to stature
first to size the corps of cadets — W.H.Baumer
6. : to size up
could feel her listening, sizing me — Joseph Hitrec
intransitive verb
1. archaic : to order an allowance of food or drink from the buttery especially of a university college
2. : to be equal in size, quality, power, or other particular characteristic : compare — usually used with up and often with to or with
a yield that sized up very well with last year's
3. : to increase in size
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English sise, probably from Middle French, setting, fixing, from Old French, settlement, assize — more at assize
1.
a. : any of various glutinous materials (as preparations of glue, flour, varnish, or resins) used for filling the pores in surfaces (as of paper, textiles, leather, or plaster) or in bookbinding for applying color or leaf to book edges or covers — compare glair , gold size
b. : any material used in papermaking to prevent or retard the penetration of liquids
c. : the adhesive used in coating paper
2. : a sticky substance used in place of ink when the printing is to be dusted with metallic powder
IV. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. : to cover, stiffen, or glaze with or as if with size : treat with size
2. : to compact (felt) by means of moisture, heat, and pressure especially in hat making
V.
variant of sice
VI. |sīz adjective
Etymology: size (I)
: sized 1 — used in combination
has only a pond- size harbour — Christopher Rand
conventional- size midtown blocks — Lewis Mumford
the large economy- size box of a breakfast cereal
bite- size candies