take somebody out to a big restaurant

Question

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.

Alan Evangelista · Answer

"big" can also be used with concrete physical things 
with the meaning of "important", "relevant". An example provided by the Cambridge dictionary:

The four biggest banks are all planning to cut their service charges

Reference: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/big

Lambie · Answer

Big meaning important:

They were big importers in the nineties.
This is a big restaurant among/for Hollywood actors.
They made big money with that deal.

BUT, without specific context:
That is a big restaurant. = physically big, unless one is talking in short-hand slang or very colloquially.
As in a conversation that might go like this:
"Yeah, nobody knew it before but now, it's a big restaurant".
big here means a big deal or important as all dictionaries point out.
BUT: "take someone out to a big restaurant" goes to large for most English-speaking ears unless it used as explained above. "take someone out to a restaurant that is big here in New York" = important.

take somebody out to a big restaurant

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