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Small beer   /smɔl bɪr/   Listen
noun
Beer  n.  
1.
A fermented liquor made from any malted grain, but commonly from barley malt, with hops or some other substance to impart a bitter flavor. Note: Beer has different names, as small beer, ale, porter, brown stout, lager beer, according to its strength, or other qualities. See Ale.
2.
A fermented extract of the roots and other parts of various plants, as spruce, ginger, sassafras, etc.
Small beer, weak beer; (fig.) insignificant matters. "To suckle fools, and chronicle small beer."


adjective
Small  adj.  (compar. smaller; superl. smallest)  
1.
Having little size, compared with other things of the same kind; little in quantity or degree; diminutive; not large or extended in dimension; not great; not much; inconsiderable; as, a small man; a small river. "To compare Great things with small."
2.
Being of slight consequence; feeble in influence or importance; unimportant; trivial; insignificant; as, a small fault; a small business.
3.
Envincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; sometimes, in reproach, paltry; mean. "A true delineation of the smallest man is capable of interesting the greatest man."
4.
Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short; as, after a small space.
5.
Weak; slender; fine; gentle; soft; not loud. "A still, small voice."
Great and small,of all ranks or degrees; used especially of persons. "His quests, great and small."
Small arms, muskets, rifles, pistols, etc., in distinction from cannon.
Small beer. See under Beer.
Small coal.
(a)
Little coals of wood formerly used to light fires.
(b)
Coal about the size of a hazelnut, separated from the coarser parts by screening.
Small craft (Naut.), a vessel, or vessels in general, of a small size.
Small fruits. See under Fruit.
Small hand, a certain size of paper. See under Paper.
Small hours. See under Hour.
Small letter. (Print.), a lower-case letter. See Lower-case, and Capital letter, under Capital, a.
Small piece, a Scotch coin worth about 2¼d. sterling, or about 4½cents.
Small register. See the Note under 1st Register, 7.
Small stuff (Naut.), spun yarn, marline, and the smallest kinds of rope.
Small talk, light or trifling conversation; chitchat.
Small wares (Com.), various small textile articles, as tapes, braid, tringe, and the like.





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Small beer" Quotes from Famous Books



... Each morning with gems of this kind, Such matters must strike as momentous The news-editorial mind; 'Tis time this delusion was done with, High time that some voice made it clear We don't want those fountains to run with Such very small beer. ...
— Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 156, Feb. 5, 1919 • Various
... desir'd that he and his Companion might refresh themselves there for a few Hours. An old, shabby Domestick let them in indeed, but with visible Reluctance, and carried them into the Stable, where all their Fare was a few musty Olives, and a Draught or two of sower small Beer. The Hermit seem'd as content with his Repast, as he was the Night before. At last, rising off from his Seat, he paid his Compliments to the old Valet (who had as watchful an Eye over them all the Time, as if they had been a Brace of Thieves, and intimated every now and then ...
— Zadig - Or, The Book of Fate • Voltaire
... times more airs, and when, at first, my father (who as coxswain was constantly up at the house) offered to speak to her, she turned away from him in most ineffable disdain. Now my father was at that time about thirty years of age, and thought no small beer of himself, as the saying goes. He was a tall, handsome man, indeed, so good-looking that they used to call him "Handsome Jack" on board of the "Druid," and he had, moreover, a pigtail of most extraordinary size and length, of which he was not ...
— Poor Jack • Frederick Marryat
... French knights ride behind his banner, and with them ten squires and I know not how many men-at-arms. There is feasting yonder at the manor, I can tell you. Ere his train leaves us our winter provender will be done, and we'll have to drink small beer till the wine ships come ...
— Red Eve • H. Rider Haggard
... PARLIAMENT. A military term for small beer, five pints of which, by an act of parliament, a landlord was formerly obliged to give to each ...
— 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue • Captain Grose et al.


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