Little has 16 different meanings across 6 categories:
A small amount.
"The recipe called for a little honey to sweeten the tea, so I added just enough from the jar."
In plain English: In this context, little is not a noun but an adjective used to describe something small in size or amount.
"The little fell asleep quickly after their long walk."
Usage: Use "little" as a noun when referring to a small quantity or portion of something, often in phrases like "a little bit." It functions as a countable noun in this sense, distinct from its common role as an adjective modifying other nouns.
(quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with `a') at least some
"little rain fell in May"
"gave it little thought"
"little time is left"
"we still have little money"
"a little hope remained"
"there's slight chance that it will work"
"there's a slight chance it will work"
(informal) small and of little importance
"a fiddling sum of money"
"a footling gesture"
"our worries are lilliputian compared with those of countries that are at war"
"a little (or small) matter"
"a dispute over niggling details"
"limited to petty enterprises"
"piffling efforts"
"giving a police officer a free meal may be against the law, but it seems to be a picayune infraction"
small in a way that arouses feelings (of tenderness or its opposite depending on the context)
"a nice little job"
"bless your little heart"
"my dear little mother"
"a sweet little deal"
"I'm tired of your petty little schemes"
"filthy little tricks"
"what a nasty little situation"
Small in size.
"The little bird hopped onto my palm, its tiny feathers soft against my skin."
In plain English: Little means very small in size, amount, or importance.
"The little boy hid behind the curtain."
Usage: Use "little" before a noun to describe something that is physically small or young, such as a little dog. It often carries a sense of endearment when referring to children or pets.
Not much.
"There is little time left to finish the project before the deadline."
In plain English: Little means doing something to a small degree or not very much.
"He can run little faster than before."
Usage: Use "little" as an adverb before verbs or adjectives to indicate that an action occurs only a small amount, such as in "I little know how tired you are." Do not use it to modify nouns; instead, place the adjective "small" before the noun for that purpose.
Not much, only a little: only a small amount (of).
"I've already spent too much time on that project and I have very little energy left for anything else today."
Not much; not a large amount.
"The little rain that fell last night did nothing to stop the drought."
A surname.
"My neighbor, Mr. Little, waved at me as I walked past his house today."
The word "little" comes from Old English lyttel, which originally described something that was bent or crouched before evolving to mean small in size. It entered modern usage through Middle English and is related to the suffix "-le," which often indicates a diminutive form.