less
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less
less
(lĕs)less
(lɛs)less
(lɛs)adv. a compar. of little with least as superl.
-less
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You use less in front of an uncountable noun to say that one quantity is not as big as another, or that a quantity is not as big as it was before.
Less is sometimes used in front of plural nouns.
Some people think this use is wrong. They say that you should use fewer in front of plural nouns, not 'less'.
However, fewer sounds formal when used in conversation. As an alternative to 'less' or 'fewer', you can use not as many or not so many in front of plural nouns. These expressions are acceptable in both conversation and writing.
After not as many and not so many you use as, not 'than'.
You use less than in front of a noun phrase to say that an amount or measurement is below a particular point or level.
Less than is sometimes used in front of a noun phrase referring to a number of people or things.
Some people think this use is wrong. They say that you should use fewer than, not 'less than', in front of a noun phrase referring to people or things.
You can use less than in conversation, but you should use fewer than in formal writing.
However, fewer than can only be used when the following noun phrase refers to a number of people or things. Don't use 'fewer than' when the noun phrase refers to an amount or measurement. Don't say, for example, 'I travelled fewer than 3000 miles.
Less can be used in front of an adjective to say that someone or something has a smaller amount of a quality than they had before, or a smaller amount than someone or something else has.
Be Careful!
Don't use 'less' in front of the comparative form of an adjective. Don't say, for example, 'It is less colder than it was yesterday'. Say 'It is less cold than it was yesterday'.
In conversation and informal writing, people don't usually use 'less' in front of adjectives. They don't say, for example, 'It is less cold than it was yesterday'. They say 'It is not as cold as it was yesterday'.
Not so is also sometimes used, but this is less common.
After not as and not so, you use as, not 'than'.
Adj. | 1. | less - (comparative of `little' usually used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning not as great in amount or degree; "of less importance"; "less time to spend with the family"; "a shower uses less water"; "less than three years old" comparative, comparative degree - the comparative form of an adjective or adverb; "`faster' is the comparative of the adjective `fast'"; "`less famous' is the comparative degree of the adjective `famous'"; "`more surely' is the comparative of the adverb `surely'" slight, little - (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with `a') at least some; "little rain fell in May"; "gave it little thought"; "little time is left"; "we still have little money"; "a little hope remained"; "there's slight chance that it will work"; "there's a slight chance it will work" |
2. | less - (usually preceded by `no') lower in quality; "no less than perfect" inferior - of low or inferior quality | |
3. | less - (nonstandard in some uses but often idiomatic with measure phrases) fewer; "less than three weeks"; "no less than 50 people attended"; "in 25 words or less" fewer - (comparative of `few' used with count nouns) quantifier meaning a smaller number of; "fewer birds came this year"; "the birds are fewer this year"; "fewer trains were late" | |
Adv. | 1. | less - used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs; "less interesting"; "less expensive"; "less quickly" more, to a greater extent - used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs; "more interesting"; "more beautiful"; "more quickly" |
2. | less - comparative of little; "she walks less than she should"; "he works less these days" more - comparative of much; to a greater degree or extent; "he works more now"; "they eat more than they should" |
less
"Less is more" [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe]
less
[les]now we eat less bread → ahora comemos menos pan
she has less time to spare now → ahora tiene menos tiempo libre
of less importance → de menos importancia
St James the Less → Santiago el Menor
no less a person than the bishop → no otro que el obispo, el mismísimo obispo
that was told me by the minister no less → eso me lo dijo el mismo ministro
it's less than you think → es menos de lo que piensas
can't you let me have it for less? → ¿no me lo puedes dar en menos?
less than £1/a kilo/three metres → menos de una libra/un kilo/tres metros
at a price of less than £1 → a un precio inferior or menor a una libra
less than a week ago → hace menos de una semana
a tip of £10, no less! → ¡una propina de 10 libras, nada menos!
nothing less than → nada menos que
it's nothing less than a disaster → es un verdadero or auténtico desastre
the less ... the less → cuanto menos ... menos ...
the less he works the less he earns → cuanto menos trabaja menos gana
the less said about it the better → cuanto menos se hable de eso mejor
to go out less (often) → salir menos
you work less than I do → trabajas menos que yo
grief grows less with time → la pena disminuye a medida que pasa el tiempo
in less than an hour → en menos de una hora
it's less expensive than the other one → cuesta menos que el otro
less and less → cada vez menos
that doesn't make her any less guilty → no por eso es menos culpable
even less, still less → todavía menos, menos aún
the problem is less one of capital than of personnel → el problema más que de capitales es de personal
the price less 10% → el precio menos 10 por ciento
the price less VAT → el precio excluyendo el IVA
a year less four days → un año menos cuatro días
less
[ˈlɛs]I've got less time for hobbies now → J'ai moins de temps pour les loisirs maintenant.
A shower uses less water than a bath → Une douche consomme moins d'eau qu'un bain.
A bit less, please → Un peu moins, s'il vous plaît.
He spent less than me → Il a dépensé moins que moi.
It cost less than we thought → Ça a coûté moins que nous ne le pensions.
I've got less than you → J'en ai moins que toi.
less of the money → une part moins importante de l'argent
Last year less of the money went into high-technology companies → L'année dernière, une part moins importante de l'argent est allé dans les sociétés de hautes technologies.
I see less of them now they've moved → Je les vois moins maintenant qu'ils ont déménagé.
no less than → pas moins de
She owns no less than four houses → Elle possède pas moins de quatre maisons.
no less (used for emphasis) → pas moins
the Prime Minister, no less! → le Premier ministre, pas moins!
He's less intelligent than her → Il est moins intelligent qu'elle.
He goes out less than he used to → Il sort moins qu'avant.
I visit him less than I should → Je lui rends visite moins souvent que je ne le devrais.
less than half → moins de la moitié
less than one → moins de un
less than a kilo → moins d'un kilo
less than 3 metres → moins de 3 mètres
less than that → moins que cela
less than you → moins que vous
It's less than a kilometre from here → C'est à moins d'un kilomètre d'ici.
It costs less than 100 euros → Ça coûte moins de cent euros.
far less often → bien moins souvent
He still eats meat, but far less often → Il mange toujours de la viande mais bien moins souvent.
less and less → de moins en moins
We go out less and less → Nous sortons de moins en moins.
the less he works ... → moins il travaille ...
The less he works, the more he complains → Moins il travaille et plus il se plaint.
less than ever → moins que jamais
less than enthusiastic → pas des plus enthousiastes
Her greeting was less than enthusiastic → Son salut n'était pas des plus enthousiastes.
less than helpful
She was less than helpful → Elle n'était pas des plus serviables.
Her advice has frequently been less than helpful → Le plus souvent, ses conseils n'ont pas été des plus utiles.
less
less
[lɛs] (little (comp of))now we eat less bread → ora mangiamo meno pane
she has less time to spare → ha meno tempo a disposizione
of less importance → di minor importanza
we see less of them now → li vediamo di meno adesso
the less you read the less you learn → meno leggi meno impari
can't you let me have it for less? → mi potrebbe fare un piccolo sconto?
the less said about it the better → meno se ne parla e meglio è
less than half → meno della metà
less than £1/a kilo/3 metres → meno di una sterlina/un chilo/3 metri
less than you think → meno di quanto tu creda
less than you/ever → meno di te/che mai
the holiday was less than perfect → la vacanza non è stata proprio stupenda
it's nothing less than a disaster → è un disastro bell'e buono
a tip of £10, no less! (fam) → nientemeno che 10 sterline di mancia!
to go out less (often) → uscire di meno
less and less → sempre meno
still less → ancora meno
none the less ... → ugualmente..., lo stesso...
less 5% → meno il 5%
less
(les) adjectivefewer sould be used in speaking about numbers of individual things or people: I've fewer books than he has ; There were fewer than 50 people at the meeting .