Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
precious little. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
precious little, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
precious little in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
precious little you have here. The definition of the word
precious little will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
precious little, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Prepositional phrase
precious little
- (idiomatic) Almost nothing; hardly anything.
- Synonym: precious few
1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, , →OCLC, part I, page 195:Sandbanks, marshes, forests, savages, - precious little to eat fit for a civilised man, nothing but Thames water to drink.
2007, Darryl Brock, If I Never Get Back, page 22:Then I hit the real world and in the next decade encountered precious little in the way of Twainesque romance or riches.
Translations
almost nothing; hardly anything