small-bore

[smawl-bawr, -bohr]

adjective

1. of, noting, or relating to a .22-caliber firearm.

2. insular or parochial in scope, attitude, etc..

   small-bore officials.

small-bore

adjective

1. (of a firearm) having a small bore, especially one of less than .22 calibre

Word History and Origins

Origin of small-bore¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

During our call, all Hochman’s gee-whiz energy was directed toward the small-bore changes that he feels, collectively, make the restaurant a better place to work.

Read more on Slate

And his crimes, according to the indictment, were at times so exceedingly small-bore that it expands the imagination to consider how little it takes to buy off some elected officials.

Read more on Slate

Although damage from the attack was relatively light, the scope of the strikes went well beyond the small-bore tit-for-tat shadow war between Iran and Israel in recent years, crossing a red line by firing weapons from Iranian territory into Israeli territory.

Read more on New York Times

Most of the rest of the performance — which touched on more than a dozen songs — was grander in scale, designed to fill a football field: A small-bore, granular-gestured showcase gave way to an explosive party.

Read more on New York Times

Yes, it was militantly anti-message, building small-bore farces around four single, child-free New Yorkers who had an inordinate amount of time to sit in a diner.

Read more on New York Times