A small quantity
piece, fragment, crumb, dot, particle, jot, trifle, mite, grain, iota, whit, tittle, scintilla, splinter, parcel, portion, drop, droplet, trickle, driblet, sprinkling, modicum, morsel, dollop, dab, dash, pinch, snippet, snip, shred, atom, speck, molecule, mote, shard, chip, fraction, sliver, segment, section, lump, slice, shaving, moiety, sample, specimen, scale, flake, collop, excerpt, scrap, part, division, share, trace, hint, touch, tad, item, chunk, paring, taste, lick, mouthful, bite, dose, dram, stub, butt, stump, snatch, a drop in the bucket*, peanuts*, chicken feed*, smithereen*, smidgen*, flyspeck*, spot*; see also division 2, part 1, piece 1.
Antonyms quantity*, lot*, excess.
A brief time
second, instant, minute, jiffy; see moment 1.
A small degree
little, jot, minimum, inch, tittle, modicum, hairbreadth, trifle, touch, tad, iota, mite, fraction, tolerance, margin, whisker*, wink*, hair*, skin of one's teeth*, skin of one's nose*, eyelash*.
Antonyms infinitude, maximum, great deal.
The mouthpiece of a bridle
curb, curb bit, snaffle, gag; see halter 1.
A boring or gouging implement
rock drill, drift, auger; see drill 2.
Varieties of bits include: carpenter's, blacksmith's, drilling-machine, spiral, expanding, brace, expanding-center, German, half-round, plug-center, twisted, coal-boring, countersink.