small beer

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small beer (British, American & Australian informal) also small potatoes (American & Australian informal)

something that is not important, especially when compared to something else A loan of that size is small beer - these banks are lending millions of pounds a day. And we are not talking small potatoes - building the airport means many people in the area will lose their homes.

See also: beer, small

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Defuncti injuria ne afficiantur was a law of the twelve tables, and De mortuis nil nisi bonum is an excellent injunction -- even if the dead in question be nothing but dead small beer. Poems by Poe, Edgar Allan View in context "First, that on the above-mentioned Feast of the Assumption, small beer having been served to the novices in the proportion of one quart to each four, the said brother John did drain the pot at one draught to the detriment of brother Paul, brother Porphyry and brother Ambrose, who could scarce eat their none-meat of salted stock-fish on account of their exceeding dryness," The White Company by Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan View in context He resumed this occupation when he was replete with beef, had sucked up all the gravy in the baking-dish with the flat of his knife, and had drawn liberally on a barrel of small beer in the scullery. Little Dorrit by Dickens, Charles View in context			slower slower and slower slowly sluff slug it out sluice sluice down sluice out slump slump down slump down in slump over slur over slush up sly sly as a fox smack smack down smack in the face smack in the middle smack lips smack of smack the road smack-bang small small beer small change small fortune small fry small potatoes small print smart smart ass smart at smart drugs smart from smart guy smart money smart mouth smart under smarten up smash smash face in smash hit smash in smash into smash out of smash through smash up smear smear campaign			Small Arms Support Center Small Arms Training Simulator Small Arms Training Team Small Arms Transmitter Small Arms Transmitter Receiver Small Arms Weapons Instructor Course Small Arms Weapons Instructor School Small Arms Weapons System Small Army Casualty Assessment Software Module Small Asian Mongoose Small Asteroids Encounters List Small Astronomy Satellite Small Astronomy Satellite A small austere airfield Small Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock small B-cell lymphoma small B-cell lymphoma small B-cell lymphoma small B-cell lymphoma Small Ballistic Reentry Vehicle Small Bar Code Sorter Small Base Quad Cane Small Basketball League Small bat Small Battle Unit Small Bayonet Cap small beer Small Belt Small Belt small bindweed Small Bird Breeders Association Small blind Small Block Small Block Small Block Small block chevy Small Block Ford Small Block Oldsmobile Small Block Owner and Drivers Association Small block V8 Small block V8 small blue round cell Small Blue Round Cell Tumors Small Board On Line Operational Program Small Boarding School Association small boat small boat Small Boat Harbor Small Boat Owners Association Small Bodies Assessment Group Small Bodies Names Committee small bowel small bowel small bowel small bowel Small bowel bacterial overgrowth syndrome Small bowel cancer

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