| 1. | to a smaller extent, amount, or degree: less exact. |
| 2. | most certainly not (often prec. by much or still): He could barely pay for his own lodging, much less for that of his friend. |
| 3. | in any way different; other: He is nothing less than a thief. |
| 4. | smaller in size, amount, degree, etc.; not so large, great, or much: less money; less speed. |
| 5. | lower in consideration, rank, or importance: no less a person than the manager. |
| 6. | fewer: less than a dozen. |
| 7. | a smaller amount or quantity: Hundreds of soldiers arrived, but less of them remained. |
| 8. | something inferior or not as important: He was tortured for less. |
| 9. | minus; without: a year less two days; six dollars less tax. |
| 10. | less than, by far short of being; not in the least; hardly at all: The job is less than perfect. |
| an adjective suffix meaning “without” (childless; peerless), and in adjectives derived from verbs, indicating failure or inability to perform or be performed (resistless; tireless). |
adjective, lit⋅tler or less or less⋅er, lit⋅tlest or least, adverb, less, least, noun | 1. | small in size; not big; not large; tiny: a little desk in the corner of the room. |
| 2. | short in duration; not extensive; short; brief: a little while. |
| 3. | small in number: a little group of scientists. |
| 4. | small in amount or degree; not much: little hope. |
| 5. | of a certain amount; appreciable (usually prec. by a): We're having a little difficulty. |
| 6. | being such on a small scale: little farmers. |
| 7. | younger or youngest: He's my little brother. |
| 8. | not strong, forceful, or loud; weak: a little voice. |
| 9. | small in consideration, importance, position, affluence, etc.: little discomforts; tax reductions to help the little fellow. |
| 10. | mean, narrow, or illiberal: a little mind. |
| 11. | endearingly small or considered as such: Bless your little heart! |
| 12. | amusingly small or so considered: a funny little way of laughing. |
| 13. | contemptibly small, petty, mean, etc., or so considered: filthy little political tricks. |
| 14. | not at all (used before a verb): He little knows what awaits him. |
| 15. | in only a small amount or degree; not much; slightly: a little known work of art; little better than a previous effort. |
| 16. | seldom; rarely; infrequently: We see each other very little. |
| 17. | 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. |
| 18. | a short distance: It's down the road a little. |
| 19. | a short time: Stay here for a little. |
| 20. | in little, on a small scale; in miniature: a replica in little of Independence Hall. |
| 21. | little by little, by small degrees; gradually: The water level rose little by little. |
| 22. | make little of,
|
| 23. | not a little, to a great extent; very much; considerably: It tired me not a little to stand for three hours. |
| 24. | think little of, to treat casually; regard as trivial: They think little of driving 50 miles to see a movie. |

less (lěs) adj. A comparative of little.
adv. Comparative of little. To a smaller extent, degree, or frequency: less happy; less expensive. n.
[Middle English lesse, from Old English lǣssa (adj.) and lǣs (adv.); see leis-2 in Indo-European roots.] |
lit·tle (lĭt'l) adj. lit·tler or less (lěs) also less·er (lěs'ər), lit·tlest or least (lēst)
[Middle English, from Old English lȳtel.] lit'tle·ness n. |
less
In addition to the idiom beginning with less, also see couldn't care less; in (less than) no time; more or less; much less.