• IPA: /saɪz/

Attested since the 14th century, originally meant a “law or regulation that determines the amount to be paid”, from Middle English syse, sise ("regulation, control, limit"), from Old French cise, sise, aphetism of assise ("assize"), from the verb asseoir ("to sit down"), from Latin assideo, composed of ad- + sedeō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sed-.

size

1. The dimensions or magnitude of a thing; how big something is. [from 15th c.]

   The size of the building seemed to have increased since I was last there.

2. A specific set of dimensions for a manufactured article, especially clothing. [from 16th c.]

   I don't think we have the red one in your size.

3. (graph theory) A number of edges in a graph. [from 20th c.]
4. (figurative, dated) Degree of rank, ability, character, etc.
   • 1692, Roger L'Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC ↗:

     men of a less size and quality**

   • 1720, Jonathan Swift, A Letter to a Young Clergyman:

     the middle or lower size of people

5. An instrument consisting of a number of perforated gauges fastened together at one end by a rivet, used for measuring the size of pearls
   • Edward H[enry] Knight (1877) “Size”, in Knight’s American Mechanical Dictionary. […], volumes III (REA–ZYM), New York, N.Y.: Hurd and Houghton […], →OCLC ↗..
6. (US) Short for chili size (“hamburger served with chili con carne”).
7. (obsolete, outside, dialects) An assize. [from 14th c.]
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society, published 1973, page 560:

     I know you would have women above the law, but it is all a lye; I heard his lordship say at size, that no one is above the law.

8. (obsolete) A regulation, piece of ordinance. [15th c.]
9. (obsolete) A regulation determining the amount of money paid in fees, taxes etc. [14th]
10. (obsolete) A fixed standard for the magnitude, quality, quantity etc. of goods, especially food and drink. [15th]
    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act II, scene iv]:

      to scant my sizes

• See also Thesaurus:size

• French: taille
• German: Größe
• Italian: taglia, dimensione, grandezza
• Portuguese: tamanho
• Russian: разме́р
• Spanish: tamaño, talla

• French: taille
• German: Größe, Kleidergröße, Konfektionsgröße
• Italian: taglia
• Portuguese: tamanho
• Russian: разме́р
• Spanish: talla

size (sizes, present participle sizing; simple past and past participle sized)

1. (transitive) To adjust the size of; to make a certain size.
   • 1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret, →OCLC ↗:

     a statute […] to size weights, and measures

2. (transitive) To classify or arrange by size.
   1. (military) To take the height of men, in order to place them in the ranks according to their stature.
   2. (mining) To sift (pieces of ore or metal) in order to separate the finer from the coarser parts.
3. (transitive, colloquial) To approximate the dimensions, estimate the size of.
4. (intransitive) To take a greater size; to increase in size.
   • after 1633 (first published), John Donne, Farewell to Love

     Our desires give them fashion, and so, / As they wax lesser, fall, as they size, grow.

5. (UK, Cambridge University, obsolete) To order food or drink from the buttery; hence, to enter a score, as upon the buttery book.
6. (transitive, obsolete) To swell; to increase the bulk of.
   • 1613–1614 (date written), John Fletcher, William Shak[e]speare, The Two Noble Kinsmen: […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Waterson;  […], published 1634, →OCLC ↗, Act I, scene i, page 1 ↗:

     2. Queen. […] lend us a knee;
     But touch the ground for us no longer time
     Then a Doves motion, when the head's pluckt off:
     ell him if he i'th blood cizd field, lay swolne
     Showing the Sun his Teeth; grinning at the Moone
     What you would doe.

• French: dimensionner

• Spanish: formar por tamaño, ordenar por tamaño

• Spanish: medir

From Middle English syse, of unclear origin; related to roa-oit sisa, perhaps ultimately related to size / syse ("amount"), or perhaps shortened from assisa, from assiso

size

1. A thin, weak glue used as primer for paper or canvas intended to be painted upon.
   • 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC ↗, page 40:

     The beginning of a new episode of work for Bradly was an agitated niggling over six-by-four squares of cardboard coated with size and white lead, prepared by himself to save an experimental waste of canvas.

2. Wallpaper paste.
3. The thickened crust on coagulated blood.
4. Any viscous substance, such as gilder's varnish.

• Spanish: sellador, cola

• Spanish: cola

size (sizes, present participle sizing; simple past and past participle sized)

1. (transitive) To apply glue or other primer to a surface which is to be painted.

• Spanish: sellar, encolar

size (plural sizes)

1. Alternative form of sice