size

UK: /ˈsaɪz/ US: /saɪz/ ,(sīz)

Inflections of 'size' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

sizes

v 3rd person singular

sizing

v pres p

sized

v past

sized

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

size¹ /saɪz/   n., v., sized, siz•ing. 
n. 

1. the physical dimensions, largeness, or extent of anything:
   [countable] the size of a farm.
2. considerable or great largeness:
   [uncountable] a company known for its size.
3. one of a series of measures for articles of manufacture or trade:
   [countable] shoe sizes.
4. extent;
   amount;
   range:
   [uncountable] a fortune of great size.
5. actual condition or state of affairs:
   [countable* usually singular;

   usually: the + ~]

   We have no time left; that's about the size of it.

v. 

6. [~ + object] to separate or sort according to size.
7. size up, to form an estimate of;
   judge: [~ + up + object]
   The lawyer sized up his opponent.
   [~ + object + up]
   to size him up and dismiss him.

Idioms

8. Idioms cut (someone) down to size, [cut + object + down + to + ~] to reduce the importance of:
   She'll cut you down to size in a moment.
9. to size, [uncountable] to the length, width, dimension, or other measure desired:
   That formica will have to be cut to size to fit in your kitchen.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

size¹  (sīz), n., v., sized, siz•ing. 
n. 

1. the spatial dimensions, proportions, magnitude, or bulk of anything:
   the size of a farm; the size of the fish you caught.
2. considerable or great magnitude:
   to seek size rather than quality.
3. one of a series of graduated measures for articles of manufacture or trade:
   children's sizes of shoes.
4. extent;
   amount;
   range:
   a fortune of great size.
5. actual condition, circumstance, or state of affairs:
   That's about the size of it.
6. a number of population or contents:
   What size is Springfield, Illinois? The size of that last shipment was only a dozen.
7. [Obs.] a fixed standard of quality or quantity, as for food or drink.
8. of a size, of the same or similar size:
   The two poodles are of a size.
9. try on for size:
   • to put on briefly in order to test the fit of, as a garment or shoes.
   • to consider, evaluate, do, or use before taking further action:
     We'll try the plan on for size to see whether it's practical.

v.t. 

10. to separate or sort according to size.
11. to make of a certain size.
12. Metallurgy to press (a sintered compact) to close tolerances.
13. [Obs.] to regulate or control according to a fixed standard.
14. size up, [Informal.]
    • to form an estimate of (a situation, person, etc.);
      judge:
      They sized him up with a look.
    • to meet a certain standard:
      He doesn't size up to my expectations.

• Old French assiser, derivative of assise assize), in part derivative of the noun, nominal in later senses
• Old French sise, aphetic variant of assise assize; (verb, verbal) in part representing late Middle English sisen to regulate (itself partly derivative of the noun, nominal, partly aphetic variant of assisen to fix, ordain, assess
• (noun, nominal) Middle English syse origin, originally, control, regulation, limit 1250–1300

Synonyms

• 1. Size, volume, mass, bulk are terms referring to the extent or dimensions of that which has magnitude and occupies space.
  Size is the general word:
  of great size; small in size.
  Volume often applies to something that has no fixed shape:
  Smoke has volume.
  Mass, also, does not suggest shape, but suggests a quantity of matter in a solid body:
  a mass of concrete.
  Bulk suggests weight, and often a recognizable, though perhaps unwieldy, shape:
  the huge bulk of an elephant.

size²  (sīz), n., v., sized, siz•ing. 
n. 

1. Printing any of various gelatinous or glutinous preparations made from glue, starch, etc., used for filling the pores of cloth, paper, etc., or as an adhesive ground for gold leaf on books.

v.t. 

2. Printing to coat or treat with size.

• 1400–50; late Middle English sise, syse (noun, nominal); perh. special use of size¹

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

size / saɪz/ noun

1. the dimensions, proportions, amount, or extent of something
2. large or great dimensions, etc
3. one of a series of graduated measurements, as of clothing: she takes size 4 shoes
4. state of affairs as summarized: he's bankrupt, that's the size of it

verb (transitive)

1. to sort according to size
2. to make or cut to a particular size or sizes

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French sise, shortened from assise assize

ˈsizer noun

size / saɪz/ noun

1. Also called: sizing a thin gelatinous mixture, made from glue, clay, or wax, that is used as a sealer or filler on paper, cloth, or plaster surfaces

verb

1. (transitive) to treat or coat (a surface) with size

Etymology: 15th Century: perhaps from Old French sise; see size¹