meaning in context - take somebody out to a big restaurant


I have always assumed that the adjective "big" meant "large in size/width/height" when used with physical things and had related figurative meanings (eg of major importance/relevance, outstanding, large-scale, known) when used with abstract things. For instance, I have always understood "a big restaurant" as a "large restaurant" and a "big problem" as a "complex problem".


Recently, an English native speaker has told me that he understood "big" in the sentence "I'll take you out to a big restaurant" as "famous", "known". May the figurative meanings of "big" may apply to any noun then? If this is true, the real meaning will depend on context, of course.


note: I mean only things on this question. I know that all meanings of "big" may apply when it refers to people.




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