Definition of "size"

size¹

/saɪz/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural sizes
1. (obsolete outside dialects) An assize.
  Quotations
  I know you would have women above the law, but it is all a lye; I heard his lordship say at size, that no one is above the law.
  1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society, published 1973, page 560
2. (obsolete) A regulation determining the amount of money paid in fees, taxes etc.
3. (obsolete) A fixed standard for the magnitude, quality, quantity etc. of goods, especially food and drink.
  Quotations
  to scant my sizes
  c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene iv]
4. The dimensions or magnitude of a thing; how big something is.
  Quotations
  Ashley: Look at the size of that ship!Kaidan: The Ascension. Flagship of the Citadel fleet.Joker: Well, size isn't everything.Ashley: Why so touchy, Joker?Joker: I'm just saying you need firepower, too.
  2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, PC, scene: Normandy SR-1
  [The researchers] noticed many of their pieces of [plastic marine] debris sported surface pits around two microns across. Such pits are about the size of a bacterial cell. Closer examination showed that some of these pits did, indeed, contain bacteria, […].
  2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845
5. (obsolete) A regulation, piece of ordinance.
6. A specific set of dimensions for a manufactured article, especially clothing.
7. (graph theory) A number of edges in a graph.
8. (figurative, dated) Degree of rank, ability, character, etc.
  Quotations
  men of a less size and quality**
  1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […]
  the middle or lower size of people
  1720, Jonathan Swift, A Letter to a Young Clergyman
9. An instrument consisting of a number of perforated gauges fastened together at one end by a rivet, used for measuring the size of pearls
verb
third-person singular simple present sizes, present participle sizing, simple past and past participle sized
1. (transitive) To adjust the size of; to make a certain size.
  Quotations
  a statute […] to size weights, and measures
  1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret
2. (transitive) To classify or arrange by size.
  1. (military) To take the height of men, in order to place them in the ranks according to their stature.
  2. (mining) To sift (pieces of ore or metal) in order to separate the finer from the coarser parts.
3. (transitive, colloquial) To approximate the dimensions, estimate the size of.
4. (intransitive) To take a greater size; to increase in size.
  Quotations
  Our desires give them fashion, and so, / As they wax lesser, fall, as they size, grow.
  after 1633 (first published), John Donne, Farewell to Love
5. (UK, Cambridge University, obsolete) To order food or drink from the buttery; hence, to enter a score, as upon the buttery book.
6. (transitive, obsolete) To swell; to increase the bulk of.
  Quotations
  2. Queen. […] lend us a knee;But touch the ground for us no longer timeThen a Doves motion, when the head's pluckt off:ell him if he i'th blood cizd field, lay swolneShowing the Sun his Teeth; grinning at the MooneWhat you would doe.
  1613–1614 (date written), John Fletcher, William Shak[e]speare, The Two Noble Kinsmen: […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Waterson; […], published 1634, Act I, scene i, page 1

size²

/saɪz/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural sizes
1. A thin, weak glue used as primer for paper or canvas intended to be painted upon.
  Quotations
  The beginning of a new episode of work for Bradly was an agitated niggling over six-by-four squares of cardboard coated with size and white lead, prepared by himself to save an experimental waste of canvas.
  1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, page 40
2. Wallpaper paste.
3. The thickened crust on coagulated blood.
4. Any viscous substance, such as gilder's varnish.
verb
third-person singular simple present sizes, present participle sizing, simple past and past participle sized
1. (transitive) To apply glue or other primer to a surface which is to be painted.

size³

/saɪz/

noun
plural sizes
1. Alternative form of sice (“number six in dice games”)

Definition of "size"

size1

noun

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verb

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size2

noun

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verb

size3

noun

size¹

size²

size³