Little by little
Example: Little by little, the garden started to bloom beautifully.
Definition
"Little by little" is an expression used to describe a gradual process or change occurring slowly over time, often implying steady progress or development. For example, "Little by little, the garden started to bloom beautifully" means the blooming happened slowly but continuously.
Etymology
The phrase "little by little" originates from Middle English, combining the word "little," meaning small in size or amount, with the adverb "by," indicating step or increment. It reflects the idea of something happening in small portions or steps, emphasizing gradual progression.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Little by little" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (B1) - set 1", containing 123 commonly used expressions.
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