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How small is "small fortune"?



 
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How small is "small fortune"? #1 (permalink) Fri Jul 10, 2009 16:44 pm   How small is "small fortune"?		  
The other day I found an expression "small fortune".
First I thought this means a little, or a pretty small amount of money, but OALD says this means "a lot of money".

Is this because
#1 Fortune means a great great amount of money, so if you say "small fortune", it means just a lot of money?
#2 The word small is used ironically or enantiosisly?

Or is there any other reason?

Thanks in advance!
Rei
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How small is "small fortune"? #2 (permalink) Fri Jul 10, 2009 17:30 pm   How small is "small fortune"?		  
Hi,

A small fortune is an idiom and it means: a rather sizeable amount of money. E.g. this set of wheels cost me a small fortune. Do we have why or how come about idioms? Je ne sais pas!
:)
Moslemam
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How small is "small fortune"? #3 (permalink) Fri Jul 10, 2009 17:44 pm   How small is "small fortune"?		  
A small fortune would depend upon your own financial standing at the time of receiving it.

If you were broke, a thousand pounds could be considered to be a small fortune, whereas if you were already rich it would take a far greater sum to warrant the term.

Kitos.
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