Describes a criminal — or a criminal operation — that is minor: little robberies, small amounts of stolen goods or drugs, nothing that would trouble a serious police unit. A small-time thief, a small-time dealer, a small-time gang.

Describes a criminal — or a criminal operation用來形容一個罪犯，或一個犯罪集團 that is minor規模很小的：little robberies小搶案、small amounts of stolen goods or drugs少量的贓物或毒品，nothing that would trouble a serious police unit不會驚動正規警察單位的那種。A small-time thief一個small-time小賊、a small-time dealer一個small-time小盤毒販、a small-time gang一個small-time小幫派。

What you must hear in it is the sneer. "Small-scale" is neutral; "small-time" is not. It says this person tried to be important and failed — a nobody with big ideas.

What you must hear in it is the sneer你一定要聽出裡面帶的那種輕蔑："Small-scale" is neutral「small-scale」是中性的；"small-time" is not「small-time」不是。It says this person tried to be important and failed它在說這個人想耍派頭卻失敗了——a nobody with big ideas一個空有大志的小人物。

Crime stories run on it: the small-time crook who stumbles into something far larger than himself is one of the oldest plots there is. It has spread beyond crime to any job or business the speaker thinks is unimpressive: a small-time promoter, a small-time politician, a small-time operation in a back room. Wherever it goes, it keeps the look-down-on tone.

Crime stories run on it犯罪故事很愛用這個詞：the small-time crook那個small-time小混混 who stumbles into something far larger than himself誤打誤撞捲入比自己大得多的事件 is one of the oldest plots there is是最老套的劇情之一。It has spread beyond crime它已經擴散到犯罪以外 to any job or business the speaker thinks is unimpressive用到說話者覺得不怎麼樣的任何工作或生意上：a small-time promoter一個small-time小經紀人、a small-time politician一個small-time小政客、a small-time operation in a back room一個在後巷小房間裡搞的small-time小生意。Wherever it goes不管用到哪裡，it keeps the look-down-on tone都帶著那種看不起人的語氣。

So do not use it about your friend's new shop unless you want to be unkind.

So do not use it所以不要用它 about your friend's new shop來說朋友的新店 unless you want to be unkind除非你就是想不客氣。

It sits before a noun, is hyphenated, and belongs to informal speech and journalism rather than formal writing. Its opposite is "big-time".

It sits before a noun它放在名詞前面，is hyphenated要加連字號，and belongs to informal speech and journalism屬於口語和新聞用語 rather than formal writing而不是正式書寫。Its opposite is "big-time"它的反義詞是「big-time」（大咖的）。