2. Chiefly British Slang. matters or persons of little or no importance.
British Dictionary definitions for small beer
noun 1. (informal, mainly Brit) people or things of no importance
Word Origin and History for small beer
n. 1560s, originally "weak beer;" used figuratively of small things or trifling matters. Small with the meaning "of low alcoholic content" is attested from mid-15c.
Slang definitions & phrases for small beer
small beer
noun Something or someone insignificant: that idea is just small beer
Idioms and Phrases with small beer
Also, small potatoes . Of little importance, as in Don't listen to Henry; he's small beer , or It's silly to worry about that bill; it's small potatoes . The first term alludes to a beer of low alcoholic content (also called light beer today) and was used metaphorically by Shakespeare in several plays. The variant may have been invented by frontiersman Davy Crockett; it was first recorded in 1836. Also see small fry , def. 2.