petty shop

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "petty shop" is not correct in standard English; the intended phrase is likely "pet shop." You can use "pet shop" when referring to a retail store that sells pets and pet-related products.
Example: "I went to the pet shop to buy some food for my dog."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

More is at stake at a trial involving the death penalty than in a case of petty shop-lifting; accordingly, there should be stronger epistemic justification for a finding of guilt in the first than in the second case.

SEP

Individual projects include small-grant vouchers to fund activities like petty trading, telephone centres, etc. Group projects targeted activities like grinding mill, petty shops and generator renting.

Unicef

It sometimes feels like Britons live in a straitjacket of health and safety rules, monitored by petty officials, shop clerks and bureaucrats whose standard response to many everyday activities is "you can't do that – health and safety!" This wouldn't matter in a country like France or Italy, where rules are made to be broken.

The New York Times

Peter Bailey, in his study "White Collars, Gray Lives" (1999), traces the beginnings of literary interest in the lower-middle classes to the "disquieting irruption of a new breed of petty bourgeois shop and office workers" that faced Victorian writers in the last quarter of the 19th century.

Wikipedia

If a few petty donut-shop tyrants or my digital columnist colleagues want to insist that the sky is going to fall because the guy serving you coffee at three in the morning is getting paid 14 bucks an hour to destroy his circadian rhythm, that's cool too.

Vice

On Dec. 24, 1870, Elizabeth B. Phelps, a suffragist and woman of no small renown, was accused of petty thievery while shopping at Macy's, then at 14th Street and Sixth Avenue.

The New York Times

Most have been charged or convicted with petty crimes, like graffiti, vandalism, shop lifting or fare evasion.

The Guardian - Opinion

The border cuts through houses, shops, restaurants — resulting in petty absurdity when different national laws apply on either side.

The New York Times

A middle-aged African-Caribbean man explained that some young people were targeting Asian and Afghan shops, the result of petty local disagreements.

The Guardian

To which a friend pointed out that what Starbucks offers is control — your drink, exactly how you want it — and the smaller and pettier your life outside the coffee shop, the more control you want.

TechCrunch

Store the petty cash box.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "petty shop". The correct term for a store selling pets is "pet shop". If you intend to describe a small, insignificant store, use alternatives like "small shop" or "local store".

Common error

Don't confuse "petty shop" with "pet shop". "Petty" means insignificant or trivial, whereas "pet" refers to a domesticated animal. Always double-check your spelling to ensure clarity.

Linguistic Context

Noun phrase. The phrase "petty shop" as a noun phrase is intended to name a kind of establishment, but the adjective "petty" incorrectly modifies the noun "shop". According to Ludwig AI, it's better to use alternatives like "pet shop" or "small shop".

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "petty shop" is generally considered incorrect in standard English. According to Ludwig AI, it's a misspelling or misuse of terms. The intended meaning is likely a "pet shop" (a store selling pets) or a "small shop". The word "petty" means minor or insignificant and doesn't appropriately describe a shop. To avoid confusion, use "pet shop" for animal stores or "small shop" for small businesses.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pet shop

Corrects the misspelling, referring to a store selling pets.

small store

Replaces 'petty' with a synonym for 'small', referring to a shop in a more general sense.

small shop

Replaces 'petty' with a synonym for 'small', referring to a shop in a more general sense.

tiny store

Emphasizes the extremely small size of the shop.

convenience store

Specifies a type of small shop with limited goods.

mom-and-pop shop

Refers to a small, family-owned store.

corner store

Indicates a small shop located on a street corner.

local store

General term for a nearby, small business.

small business

Focuses on the enterprise aspect rather than the physical shop.

general store

Implies a shop selling a wide variety of goods in a rural area.

FAQs

What is the correct term, "petty shop" or "pet shop"?

The correct term is "pet shop", which refers to a store that sells animals and related supplies. "Petty shop" is a misspelling and does not have a standard meaning in English.

What does "petty" mean, and why is "petty shop" incorrect?

"Petty" means minor, insignificant, or trivial. While you might use "petty" to describe something unimportant, "petty shop" is not a recognized term. If you intend to describe a small shop, use "small shop" instead.

Are there other ways to describe a small shop besides "small shop"?

Yes, you can use terms like "corner store", "local store", "convenience store", or "mom-and-pop shop" depending on the specific characteristics you want to emphasize.

Can "petty" be used in other contexts related to business or commerce?

Yes, "petty" can be used to describe minor or trivial things in business, such as "petty cash" (small amounts of money for minor expenses) or "petty theft" (minor stealing). However, it's not correctly used to describe a type of shop.