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less

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less

  [les]
Use less in a Sentence
–adverb, a compar. of little with least as superl.
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.
–adjective, a compar. of little with least as superl.
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.
–noun
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.
–preposition
9. minus; without: a year less two days; six dollars less tax.
—Idiom
10. less than, by far short of being; not in the least; hardly at all: The job is less than perfect.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE lǣs (adv.), lǣssa (adj.); c. OFris lês (adv.), lêssa (adj.). See least

Synonyms:
4. See small.

Usage note:
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.
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-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:
ME -les, OE -lēas, special use of lēas free from, without, false; c. ON lauss, G los, loose

lit⋅tle

  [lit-l] adjective, lit⋅tler or less or less⋅er, lit⋅tlest or least, adverb, less, least, noun
–adjective
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.
–adverb
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.
–noun
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.
—Idioms
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,
a. belittle: to make little of one's troubles.
b. to understand or interpret only slightly: Scholars made little of the newly discovered text.
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.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME, OE lȳtel (lȳt few, small + -el dim. suffix), c. D luttel, OHG luzzil, ON lītill

Related forms:
lit⋅tlish  [lit-l-ish, lit-lish] , adjective
lit⋅tle⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To less
less   (lěs)   
adj.   A comparative of little.

  1. Not as great in amount or quantity: had less time to spend with the family.

  2. Lower in importance, esteem, or rank: no less a person than the ambassador.

  3. Consisting of a smaller number. See Usage Note at few.

prep.  With the deduction of; minus: Five less two is three.
adv.   Comparative of little.
To a smaller extent, degree, or frequency: less happy; less expensive.
n.  

  1. A smaller amount: She received less than she asked for.

  2. Something not as important as something else: People have been punished for less.


[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)

  1. Small in size: a little dining room. See Synonyms at small.

  2. Short in extent or duration; brief: There is little time left.

  3. Small in quantity or degree: little money.

  4. Unimportant; trivial: a little matter.

  5. Narrow; petty: mean little comments; a little mind consumed with trivia.

  6. Without much power or influence; of minor status.

    1. Being at an early stage of growth; young: a little child.

    2. Younger or youngest. Used especially of a sibling: My little brother is leaving for college next week.

adv.   less or lesser, least

  1. Not much; scarcely: works long hours, sleeping little.

  2. Not in the least; not at all: They little expected such a generous gift.

n.  

  1. A small quantity or amount: Give me a little.

  2. Something much less than all: I know little of their history.

  3. A short distance or time: a little down the road; waited a little.


[Middle English, from Old English lȳtel.]
lit'tle·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

less 
O.E. læs (adv.), læssa (adj.), comp. of læs "small;" from P.Gmc. *laisiz "smaller," from PIE base *loiso- "small" (cf. Lith. liesas "thin"). Formerly also "younger," as a transl. of L. minor, a sense now obs. except in James the Less. Used as a comparative of little, but not related to it. Lesser (1459) is a double comparative, "a barbarous corruption of less, formed by the vulgar from the habit of terminating comparatives in -er." [Johnson]. Lessen "to become less" first attested c.1300.

-less 
the suffix meaning "lacking" is from O.E. -leas, from leas "free (from), devoid (of), false, feigned," from P.Gmc. *lausaz (cf. Du. -loos, Ger. -los "less," O.N. lauss "loose, free, vacant, dissolute," M.Du. los, Ger. los "loose, free," Goth. laus "empty, vain"). Related to loose and lease.

little 
O.E. lytel (related to lyt "little, few," from P.Gmc. *luti), from W.Gmc. *lutila- (cf. Du. luttel, O.H.G. luzzil, Ger. lützel, Goth. leitils), from PIE *leud- "small." "Often synonymous with small, but capable of emotional implications which small is not" [OED]. Phrase the little woman "wife" attested from 1795. Little people "the faeries" is from 1726; as "children," it is attested from 1752; as "ordinary people" it is attested from 1827. Little Neck clams (1884) are so called for Little Neck, Long Island, a "neck" of land on the island's North Shore. Little by little is from 1483 (litylle be litille).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: lit·tle
Pronunciation: 'lit-&l
Function: adjective
Inflected Form: lit·tler /'lit-&l-&r,'lit-l&r/ or less /'les/ or les·ser /'les-&r/; lit·tlest /'lit-&l-&st,'lit-l&st/ or least /'lEst/
: not big: as a : small in size or extent little feet> b of a plant oranimal : small in comparison with related forms —used in vernacular names
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Idioms & Phrases

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.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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