What it means
Small in stature, no bigger than a pint glass, usually said with affection of a little kid or anything endearingly tiny. A pint-sized dynamo is a small person packed with outsized energy. The measure is comic and fond, sizing someone up against the humble pint.
Usage examples
"The pint-sized goalkeeper saved three penalties and the whole stand was chanting his name by the end."
"My niece is pint-sized but the moment the music drops she clears the floor, the cousins just step back and watch her work the kitchen tiles."
"Pint-sized terrier with an oversized attitude, the wee chap chased a fox out the garden last Tuesday and came back looking dead pleased with himself."
Where it comes from
From the British pint glass, that yardstick of beery comfort tucked into every pub. Sizing somebody up against a pint is the affectionate brand of measurement, half compliment and half wink, the kind a grandad uses for a small kid bossing the room.
Other ways to say it
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