less

[ les ]

/ lɛs /

adverb, a compar. of little with least as superl.

to a smaller extent, amount, or degree: less exact.

most certainly not (often preceded by much or still): He could barely pay for his own lodging, much less for that of his friend.

in any way different; other: He is nothing less than a thief.

adjective, a compar. of little with least as superl.

smaller in size, amount, degree, etc.; not so large, great, or much: less money; less speed.

lower in consideration, rank, or importance: no less a person than the manager.

fewer: less than a dozen.

noun

a smaller amount or quantity: Hundreds of soldiers arrived, but less of them remained.

something inferior or not as important: He was tortured for less.

preposition

minus; without: a year less two days; six dollars less tax.

Idioms for less

less than, by far short of being; not in the least; hardly at all: The job is less than perfect.

Origin of less

before 900; Middle English; Old English lǣs (adv.), lǣssa (adj.); cognate with Old Frisian lês (adv.), lêssa (adj.). See least

SYNONYMS FOR less

4 See small.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR less ON THESAURUS.COM

usage note for less

Even though less has been used before plural nouns ( less words; less men ) since the time of King Alfred, many modern usage guides say that only fewer can be used in such contexts. Less, they say, should modify singular mass nouns ( less sugar; less money ) and singular abstract nouns ( less honesty; less love ). It should modify plural nouns only when they suggest combination into a unit, group, or aggregation: less than $50 (a sum of money); less than three miles (a unit of distance). With plural nouns specifying individuals or readily distinguishable units, the guides say that fewer is the only proper choice: fewer words; fewer men; no fewer than 31 of the 50 states.
Modern standard English practice does not reflect this distinction. When followed by than, less occurs at least as often as fewer in modifying plural nouns that are not units or groups, and the use of less in this construction is increasing in all varieties of English: less than eight million people; no less than 31 of the 50 states. When not followed by than, fewer is more frequent only in formal written English, and in this construction also the use of less is increasing: This year we have had less crimes, less accidents, and less fires than in any of the last five years.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH less

fewer less (see usage note at the current entry)

Words nearby less

lesion, leslie, lesotho, lespedeza, lesquerella, less, less than, lessee, lessen, lesseps, lesser

Definition for less (2 of 3)

little

[ lit-l ]

/ ˈlɪt l /

adjective, lit·tler or less or less·er, lit·tlest or least.

small in size; not big; not large; tiny: a little desk in the corner of the room.

short in duration; not extensive; short; brief: a little while.

small in number: a little group of scientists.

small in amount or degree; not much: little hope.

of a certain amount; appreciable (usually preceded by a): We're having a little difficulty.

being such on a small scale: little farmers.

younger or youngest: He's my little brother.

not strong, forceful, or loud; weak: a little voice.

small in consideration, importance, position, affluence, etc.: little discomforts; tax reductions to help the little fellow.

mean, narrow, or illiberal: a little mind.

endearingly small or considered as such: Bless your little heart!

amusingly small or so considered: a funny little way of laughing.

contemptibly small, petty, mean, etc., or so considered: filthy little political tricks.

adverb, less, least.

not at all (used before a verb): He little knows what awaits him.

in only a small amount or degree; not much; slightly: a little-known work of art; little better than a previous effort.

seldom; rarely; infrequently: We see each other very little.

noun

a small amount, quantity, or degree: They did little to make him comfortable. If you want some ice cream, there's a little in the refrigerator.

a short distance: It's down the road a little.

a short time: Stay here for a little.

Origin of little

before 900; Middle English, Old English lȳtel ( lȳt few, small + -el diminutive suffix), cognate with Dutch luttel, Old High German luzzil, Old Norse lītill

SYNONYMS FOR little

1–4 tiny, teeny, wee. Little, diminutive, minute, small refer to that which is not large or significant. Little (the opposite of big ) is very general, covering size, extent, number, quantity, amount, duration, or degree: a little boy; a little time. Small (the opposite of large and of great ) can many times be used interchangeably with little, but is especially applied to what is limited or below the average in size: small oranges. Diminutive denotes (usually physical) size that is much less than the average or ordinary; it may suggest delicacy: the baby's diminutive fingers; diminutive in size but autocratic in manner. Minute suggests that which is so tiny it is difficult to discern, or that which implies attentiveness to the smallest details: a minute quantity; a minute exam.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR little ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM little

lit·tlish

[lit-l-ish, lit-lish] /ˈlɪt l ɪʃ, ˈlɪt lɪʃ/, adjective lit·tle·ness, noun

Definition for less (3 of 3)

-less

an adjective suffix meaning “without” (childless; peerless), and in adjectives derived from verbs, indicating failure or inability to perform or be performed (resistless; tireless).

Origin of -less

Middle English -les, Old English -lēas, special use of lēas free from, without, false; cognate with Old Norse lauss, German los, loose

Example sentences from the Web for less

Submission is less a novel of ideas than a political book, and of the most subversive kind.

Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President |Pierre Assouline |January 9, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Back in New York, the slow pace and inward focus of her yoga practice was less fulfilling.

How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze |Lizzie Crocker |January 9, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
For many years afterward it was a never-ending topic of conversation, and is more or less talked of even to this day.

New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion |Nina Strochlic |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
No one wants to align with less freedom at a time like this.

Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead |Luke O’Neil |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEAST

The pulps brought new readers to serious fiction, making it less intimidating with alluring art and low prices.

How Pulp Fiction Saved Literature |Wendy Smith |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
His comedies are less remarkable on the stage than they are in the library.

Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 20, September, 1877. |Various
He might pretend to cynicism to hide his deep pleasure in it; none the less, he was moved profoundly.

Mavericks |William MacLeod Raine
And now he had less of the old high spirits that had enabled him to laugh off the cares of debt.

Goldsmith |William Black
We take a less gloomy view of our errors now our father confessor listens to us over his egg and coffee.

Adam Bede |George Eliot
I thought him ten years less, and he spoke with the dogmatism of youth.

The Grey Room |Eden Phillpotts

British Dictionary definitions for less (1 of 3)

less

/ (lɛs) /

determiner

the comparative of little (def. 1) less sugar; less spirit than before
(as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural)she has less than she needs; the less you eat, the less you want

(usually preceded by no) lower in rank or importance no less a man than the president; St James the Less

no less informal used to indicate surprise or admiration, often sarcastic, at the preceding statement she says she's been to Italy, no less

less of to a smaller extent or degree we see less of John these days; less of a success than I'd hoped