(also muckle) archaic or Scottish & N. English
¦ noun a large amount.
¦ adjective very large.
Phrases
many a little makes a mickle (also many a mickle makes a muckle) many small amounts accumulate to make a large amount.
Origin
OE micel 'great, numerous, much', of Gmc origin.
Usage
The forms mickle and muckle are, by origin, merely variants of the same (now dialect) word meaning 'a large amount'. However, the alternative form of the proverb (originally a misquotation) has led to a misunderstanding that mickle means 'a small amount'.