[Vocabulary] modest

[hooshdar3]

Hi.
a modest increase is an increase by a small amount or not a very big increase?

Thank you

 

[SoothingDave]

Small is not very big.

 

[hooshdar3]

Small is not very big.

Moderate is bigger than small but not very big too

 

[SoothingDave]

A modest increase is small.

 

[bhaisahab]

A moderate increase is moderate, bigger than a small increase and smaller than a large or big increase. That about covers it I think.

 

[hooshdar3]

A moderate increase is moderate, bigger than a small increase and smaller than a large or big increase. That about covers it I think.

What are you getting at?What covers what?

 

[Barb_D]

Modest = small. This does not equal "moderate," "big," or "very big."

That means that small/modest, moderate, and big are all included in not "very big."

If you say "It wasn't very big" your listener does not know if you simply mean "any possibilty other than 'very big' including moderate and big" or if you're using deliberate understatement to mean "small."