tiny, a. (n.)
(ˈtaɪnɪ)
Compared tinier, -iest. Also 6 tynie, 7 tyny, tiney, -ye, 9 dial. teeny.
[app. f. tine a. and n. + -y (? after adjs. in -y).
But some would take tiny as a later spelling of *tiné, assumed as the original form of tine: see Note to tine a.]
A. adj. a. Very small, little, or slight; wee, minute.
(In early use usually, and still often, preceded by little.)
| 1598 Tofte Alba (1880) 21 Yet still (me thinkes) mine Ayme, being not base, I should deserue some little tynie Grace. 1599 Nashe Lenten Stuffe 4 A patterne or tiny sample [printed tiny-sample] what my elaborate performance would bee in this case, had I a ful-sayld gale of prosperity to encourage mee. [1656 Blount Glossogr., Tiney (a word used in Worcestershire and thereabouts, as a little tiney).] 1664 Cotton Scarron. 97 This Cupid was a little tyny, Cogging, Lying, Peevish Nynny. 1677 Man of Sin ii. v. 93 In what part of the World are such Tiny Crustlings used For Bread? 1691 Ray N.C. Words, Tiny, puny, little: it is usually joyned with ‘little’ as an intensive: so they say, a little tiny thing. 1740–6 Mrs. Delany in Life & Corr. (1861) III. 31, I told you I was to have a tiny ball on Monday. 1812 J. Wilson Isle of Palms i. 63 The tiniest boat that ever sailed Upon an inland lake. 1858 Lytton What will he do i. vi, On that knee she clasped her tiny hands. 1879 A. Giberne Sun, Moon & Stars ii. i. (1880) 115 Examination with the microscope only shows tinier and yet tinier wonders of form and life. 1887 Poor Nellie (1888) 168 Adela had of late been one tiny bit exacting towards George. |
b. tiny garment, an article of clothing made for an expected baby.
| 1965 ‘E. Queen’ Fourth Side of Triangle i. 12 Her ‘needlework’..consisted of ‘tiny garments’, prepared for a lay sisterhood which aided ‘unfortunate’ young women. 1978 N. Freeling Night Lords i. 9 She..had managed to get herself pregnant..but there was no display of tiny garments. |
c. tiny mind: exc. when used self-deprecatingly, a term of abuse suggesting an absence of common sense. Chiefly in colloq. phr. out of one's tiny mind, an emphatic form of out of one's mind s.v. mind n.1 19 a.
| 1965 ‘W. Haggard’ Hard Sell vi. 68 Why don't you use your tiny mind? 1970 K. Benton Sole Agent vi. 71 We'd had a row... I was nearly out of my tiny mind. 1977 D. Beaty Excellency xix. 215 Everyone with the possible exception of H. E. was scared out of their tiny British minds. |
B. as n.
† 1. A very small amount: = tine n.6 (perh. only a copyist's error for this.) Obs. rare—1.
| a 1650 Lord of Learne 272 in Furniv. Percy Folio I. 192 Thou hast striken the Lord of learne a litle tinye aboue the knee. |
2. a. A tiny one, a very small child, an infant. Usu. in pl. tinies (cf. grown-ups).
| 1797 F. Burney Jrnls. & Lett. July (1973) III. 326 He..hesitated before he could persuade himself to give at all to any bigger Children, if they came accompanied by tinies. 1863 ‘Holme Lee’ Annie Warleigh II. 270 The little ones..marshalled by the infant class mistress, and by Alice who was a clever manager amongst the very tinies. 1883 Sword & Trowel Jan. 37 Sure to please the growing tinies. 1883 G. Meredith Love in Valley xxii, When she was a tiny. |
b. A nickname for a very large or tall man. Cf. tich.
| 1931 Literary Digest 18 Apr. 40 A big fat guy will be called ‘Babe’ or ‘Tiny’. 1976 Burnham-on-Sea Gaz. 20 Apr. 12/8 He is 6ft 7in tall and not unnaturally, is known as ‘Tiny’. |