great · adjective /greɪt/Full view
Nouns: great, greatness
Adjectives: great
Adverbs: greatly
great (EXCELLENT)
A1 very good
Dictionary examples:

We had a great time at the party.

"Hi! How are you?" - "Great! How are you?"

I think it's a great idea.

Learner example:

I hope we have a great meal and a lot of fun. (Skills for Life (Entry 1); A1; Polish)

great (LARGE)
A2 large in amount, size or degree
Dictionary examples:

I use my computer a great deal.

I was asked to describe the house in greater detail.

A great crowd had gathered.

Learner example:

It's a great pleasure to give [you some] advi[c]e. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Lithuanian)

great (EXTREME)
B1 extreme
Dictionary example:

He has great difficulty walking.

Learner example:

But still, car accidents are a great concern to the Portuguese authorities. (First Certificate in English; B2; Portuguese)

great (IMPORTANT)
B2 important or famous
Dictionary examples:

This is one of Rembrandt's greatest paintings.

He's probably the greatest actor alive today.

Learner example:

Ginny was a keen collector of rare paintings [by] great artists. (First Certificate in English; B2; Greek)

great big
B2 very big
Dictionary example:

I gave her a great big hug.

Learner example:

I will never forget when I was walking on the beach and all of a sudden this great big dog appears from nowhere running after me. (First Certificate in English; B2; Portuguese)

a great deal
B2 a lot
Dictionary examples:

She spends a great deal of her time in Glasgow.

A great deal of effort has gone into making the software reliable.

They still need a great deal more money to finish the project.

Learner example:

There will be lots of events which you could see and take a great deal of pictures [of]. (First Certificate in English; B2; Portuguese)

Cambridge logo