less

less [les]

adj.

[ME les < OE læs, adv. læssa, adj. (used as compar. of lytel, LITTLE), akin to OFris les < IE * leis- < base * lei-, to diminish, meager, > LITTLE]

1. alt. compar. of LITTLE

2. not so much; smaller in size or amount [to drink less milk, take less time]

3. fewer [in less than 25 words]

adv.

1. compar. of LITTLE

2. to a smaller extent [less likely to succeed]

n.

a smaller amount

prep.

with the deduction of; minus [about $5,000, less taxes; thirty less ten is twenty]

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less and less

to a decreasing degree; decreasingly

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much less or still less

to an even smaller degree or extent [she won't even talk to him, much less work with him]

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no less a person than

a person of no lower importance, rank, etc. than

USAGE- although the use of less instead of fewer with plural nouns is very old, it is objected to by some, esp. immediately preceding a plural noun [less coins in his pocket ]