# A bit/little on the + adjective + side



## Mr Bones

Hello, everybody. I've just learnt this expression and would like to ask you a couple of things about it.

Somewhere, I read the following:

He's a bit on the young side.
He's a little on the young side.

(I don't remember which one I found)

Then I realized that you can use this as a fixed structure and change the adjective. So, we could have these examples:

She's a little on the weird side.
He's a bit on the tough side.
John is a little on the fussy side.

Then, my questions are:

1. Am I right? Can I use that and say things like, *He's a bit on the bossy side,* for instance?

2. I assume that this is an informal kind of speech. Is it normal in conversation? Can I use it in writing?

3. Does the choice between *a bit* or *a little *mean something about BE or AE?

4. Is this formula a bit on the ironic side?

Thank you, Mr Bones (and, please, correct my English).


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## petereid

1. Am I right? Can I use that and say things like, He's a bit on the bossy side, for instance? 

2. I assume that this is an informal kind of speech. Is it normal in conversation? Can I use it in writing? 

3. Does the choice between a bit or a little mean something about BE or AE?
Not that I know of

4. Is this formula a bit on the ironic side? It may be, but not necessarily so.


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## Mr Bones

Thank you, petereid, for such a quick answer. Bones.


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## maxiogee

I can affirm that "a bit on xyz side" is a commonplace here in Ireland and has been since, at least, my mother first criticised my choice of clothing, asking when I spurned her choice of shirt "Isn't that a bit on the loud side?" 
She won out by the time-honoured parental expedient of baffling the child with an unarguable assertion "I won't wash well. Better stick with my choice dear."


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## panjandrum

This expression is generally OK, but should be used sparingly.

It is not inherently ironic, but it could be.
It is often (in my experience) used to make a deliberate understatement.

How was your holiday?
It was a bit on the hot side (average shade temperature 45 degrees).

Did you enjoy the steak?
It was a bit on the tough side (could well have been used as shoe leather).​


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## Mr Bones

Hi, Max and Panj. Thank you (I love this site and your answers). Just a last thing. When I asked about *little *or *bit, *it was because I've always thought that the use of *bit *in this case is more BE than AE. Maybe some AE speaker can help me...

Bones


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## Cayuga

Mr Bones said:


> Just a last thing. When I asked about *little *or *bit, *it was because I've always thought that the use of *bit *in this case is more BE than AE. Maybe some AE speaker can help me...



Hey, Bones!

I'm an American, and I have said:

X is a little on the Y side.
X is a bit on the Y side.
X is a little bit on the Y side.

I'm guessing that my choice would be based on the rhythm of the sentence -- whichever one would sound best.


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## Mr Bones

Thank you very much, Cayuga. Now I have the American opinion I was looking for as well. By the way, I don't know why I fell for this expression that much. Maybe it's a combination of things: the rhythm you've just mentioned, the understatement pointed out by Panj, the possibility of irony... Perhaps also the fact that it sounds like typical of spoken English, and that's something I appreciate a lot because it's more difficult to learn for me, since I hardly ever have the opportunity to speak English... But I'll follow Panj's advice and use it sparingly.

Thanks to all of you, again. Mr Bones.


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## Cayuga

Mr Bones said:


> I'll follow Panj's advice and use it sparingly.



That's good advise regarding any expression or phrase, Bones. When having a serious discussion, my dad used to say "if you will" in one sentence out of three. It drove me nuts.


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## Mr Bones

I completely agree. And that happens in every language I guess...


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## maxiogee

I too use 'bit' and 'little' interchangeably, but probably with 'bit' being slightly larger than 'little'.


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## equivoque

Also, there is the expression; "a bit on the side". So if he/she was a bit on the side - it becomes altogether another issue. (....... by the way.)


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## Mr Bones

Yes, I know two versions of that expression. The first meaning something like _having a lover,_ and the second one meaning _owning money. _Bones.


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## Claire Steiner

Both are OK, but they can be used to indicate different degrees of respect or emphasis, as far as the speaker is concerned. "a little on the ____ side" usually is not an ironic usage, or if it is, it is meant in a kind way - to "soften the blow" so to speak. "a bit on the ____ side" very often is said with a falling intonation (at least in the US) and is the inverse of what it says (i.e. "it's REALLY ____"). It's nearly hyperbole, actually.


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## Mr Bones

This is a very interesting observation, Claire. Thank you, and welcome to the forums. Mr Bones.


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## Anushka Athukorala

Hello Members 
I'm interested to if "the comparative" and "the Superlative" forms of adjectives are possible with this expression. The below is an example from Cambridge dictionary.

This dress is on the large side for me. 
Can I say 
"This dress is on the larger side for me."
"This dress is on the largest side for me."


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## velisarius

No. 

_I'm interested in something a bit on the larger side. _Would anyone say this? It seems to me possible.


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## Anushka Athukorala

velisarius said:


> No.
> 
> _I'm interested in something a bit on the larger side. _Would anyone say this? It seems to me possible.


Hello velisarius 
Thank you very much for your answer. That means "the comparative" and "the superlative" forms are not possible with this use of "side". Am I right?


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## velisarius

The comparative and superlative as in your #16 aren't used.

in my #17 I wondered whether anyone might use the comparative as in my example, but it seems not. I wouldn't either.


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## Anushka Athukorala

velisarius said:


> The comparative and superlative as in your #16 aren't used.
> 
> in my #17 I wondered whether anyone might use the comparative as in my example, but it seems not. I wouldn't either.


Thank you very much for your confirmation. I understand that no native English speaker uses the " comparative and superlative forms" with side therefore only the ordinary adjectives are used with this expression. What do you think about my examples below?
A. Your dog's legs are on the thin side.
B. The sky is on the gloomy side.
C. The chicken is on the spicy side.
Do these sentences sound natural to you?


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## velisarius

You've used the expression correctly, but the remark about the sky seems to me unlikely.

_A - Your dog's legs are on the thin side.
No, your dog isn't too fat. In fact, I'd say he's a bit on the thin side.

B -_ _The sky is on the gloomy side._
This one immediately strikes me as odd, though not impossible. We I don't usually think about the sky as being gloomy or cheerful._ The weather here is on the gloomy side today._

(I'd use "on the gloomy side" in a different expression:_ He always looks on the gloomy side of life. To look on the bright/gloomy side_  is a set expression.)

_C - The chicken is on the spicy side._


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## Anushka Athukorala

Hello velisarius 
Thank you very much for the corrections with those simple explanations.  I guess now I understand how to use it. 🙂🙂


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## velisarius

I think Panjandrum's observations in #5 are very perceptive.

His point about understatement is good. If someone told me "This chicken is on the spicy side", I'd take it as a warning that it's very hot or very heavily spiced.


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## RandomQuestion

Anushka Athukorala said:


> A. Your dog's legs are on the thin side.
> B. The sky is on the gloomy side.
> C. The chicken is on the spicy side.
> Do these sentences sound natural to you?


They don't sound natural.
A. could be used humorously. Same with C.
But this sort of humour is something I would expect from an old person, say, 50 or 60 years old.


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## heypresto

Anushka Athukorala said:


> Thank you very much for your confirmation. I understand that no native English speaker uses the " comparative and superlative forms" with side therefore only the ordinary adjectives are used with this expression. What do you think about my examples below?
> A. Your dog's legs are on the thin side.
> B. The sky is on the gloomy side.
> C. The chicken is on the spicy side.
> Do these sentences sound natural to you?


A and C sound perfectly natural. 



RandomQuestion said:


> an old person, say, 50 or 60 years old.


 This sounds a bit on the nonsensical side.


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## Anushka Athukorala

RandomQuestion said:


> They don't sound natural.
> A. could be used humorously. Same with C.
> But this sort of humour is something I would expect from an old person, say, 50 or 60 years old.


Thank you very much for your answer.


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## Anushka Athukorala

heypresto said:


> A and C sound perfectly natural.
> 
> 
> This sounds a bit on the nonsensical side.


Thank you very much for your answer.


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## RandomQuestion

heypresto said:


> This sounds a bit on the nonsensical side.


I think it is one of these phrases that people used to grow up with, say, 30 or 40 years ago, but we don't use them anymore.
So we don't use it, but older people might be familiar with and use it from time to time.
It doesn't sound natural to me when I hear it from someone who is young.
It does sound natural if it is said by an older person or if it's written down.
As long as it is used humorously.

South of England here.


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## Ivan_I

Can someone be on the chubby side?


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## lingobingo

Yes.


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## Ivan_I

What's the difference between the two? *He's a bit on the young side./ He's a little on the young side.*
Are they 100% synonyms or not?

I see the first one as: *He is too young to do something.
- Can we assign him this task?
- I think no. He's a bit on the young side.*
Sentence 2. It seems like a positive idea. 
- We need young people for the concert. But we have nobody like that.
- Wait a second. Jane! She's is a little on the young side.


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## heypresto

To me, they have the same meaning.

Where did you see your second conversation? The usage here sounds very odd.


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## Ivan_I

My invention.


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## heypresto

Ah, OK. I'm afraid it doesn't work like that.  

Wait a second. Jane! She's (pretty/fairly/quite) young.


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## lingobingo

To confirm, the phrases *a little* and *a bit* are synonymous. The only difference between them is that the former is a little more formal and the latter a bit more informal.


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## Enquiring Mind

Ivan_I said:


> Can someone be on the chubby side?


 There's a useful little (3 pages) paper "On the small side" here (in Russian) (elib.psu.by) that might interest you Ivan.


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## Ivan_I

heypresto said:


> Ah, OK. I'm afraid it doesn't work like that.
> 
> Wait a second. Jane! She's (pretty/fairly/quite) young.


I meant that she wasn't none of the above but she had at least some faint signs of looking young. But OK. It's I see.

So, if someone is fat I can say: He is a bit on the chubby side.
If someone is too young, I can say: He is a bit on the young side.

But what does this mean? He is a bit on the smart side.
Would that mean that the person considers themself smarter than the others?


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## heypresto

Ivan_I said:


> He is a bit on the smart side.


Where have you seen this?


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## Ivan_I

heypresto said:


> Where have you seen this?


In my imagination.


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## Ivan_I

Enquiring Mind said:


> There's a useful little (3 pages) paper "On the small side" here (in Russian) (elib.psu.by) that might interest you Ivan.


Do you agree with this sentence in the article?  *He's very small beer. (*Why not* A SMALL BEER?)*


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## heypresto

Ivan_I said:


> In my imagination.



OK, it sounds a little on the odd side. It sounds as if you are complaining that he's too smart. Or that his being smart is a negative thing.


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## heypresto

No. I don't think 'small beer' is used as an adjective. But this is going off-topic.


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