size 1
/suyz/ , n. , v. , sized, sizing .
n.
1. the spatial dimensions, proportions, magnitude, or bulk of anything: the size of a farm; the size of the fish you caught.
2. considerable or great magnitude: to seek size rather than quality.
3. one of a series of graduated measures for articles of manufacture or trade: children's sizes of shoes.
4. extent; amount; range: a fortune of great size.
5. actual condition, circumstance, or state of affairs: That's about the size of it.
6. a number of population or contents: What size is Springfield, Illinois? The size of that last shipment was only a dozen.
7. Obs. a fixed standard of quality or quantity, as for food or drink.
8. of a size , of the same or similar size: The two poodles are of a size.
9. try on for size ,
a. to put on briefly in order to test the fit of, as a garment or shoes.
b. to consider, evaluate, do, or use before taking further action: We'll try the plan on for size to see whether it's practical.
v.t.
10. to separate or sort according to size.
11. to make of a certain size.
12. Metall. to press (a sintered compact) to close tolerances.
13. Obs. to regulate or control according to a fixed standard.
14. size up , Informal.
a. to form an estimate of (a situation, person, etc.); judge: They sized him up with a look.
b. to meet a certain standard: He doesn't size up to my expectations.
[ 1250-1300; (n.) ME syse orig., control, regulation, limit sise, aph. var. of assise ASSIZE; (v.) in part repr. late ME sisen to regulate (itself partly deriv. of the n., partly aph. var. of assisen to fix, ordain, assess assiser, deriv. of assise ASSIZE), in part deriv. of the n. in later senses ]
Syn. 1. SIZE, VOLUME, MASS, BULK are terms referring to the extent or dimensions of that which has magnitude and occupies space. SIZE is the general word: of great size; small in size. VOLUME often applies to something that has no fixed shape: Smoke has volume. MASS, also, does not suggest shape, but suggests a quantity of matter in a solid body: a mass of concrete. BULK suggests weight, and often a recognizable, though perhaps unwieldy, shape: the huge bulk of an elephant.
size 2
/suyz/ , n. , v. , sized, sizing .
n.
1. any of various gelatinous or glutinous preparations made from glue, starch, etc., used for filling the pores of cloth, paper, etc., or as an adhesive ground for gold leaf on books.
v.t.
2. to coat or treat with size.
[ 1400-50; late ME sise, syse (n.); perh. special use of SIZE 1 ]