more or less

adjective compar. of much or many with most as superl.

in greater quantity, amount, measure, degree, or number: I need more money.

additional or further: Do you need more time? More discussion seems pointless.

noun

an additional quantity, amount, or number: I would give you more if I had it. He likes her all the more. When I could take no more of such nonsense, I left.

a greater quantity, amount, or degree: More is expected of him. The price is more than I thought.

something of greater importance: His report is more than a survey.

( used with a plural verb ) a greater number of a class specified, or the greater number of persons: More will attend this year than ever before.

Relevant Questions

Who Said Less Is More?

00:10

More or less is always a great word to know.

So is slumgullion. Does it mean:

a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.

a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.

LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

adverb compar. of much with most as superl.

in or to a greater extent or degree (in this sense often used before adjectives and adverbs, and regularly before those of more than two syllables, to form comparative phrases having the same force and effect as the comparative degree formed by the termination -er ): more interesting; more slowly.

in addition; further; longer; again: Let's talk more another time. We couldn't stand it any more.

moreover.

Idioms

10.

more and more, to an increasing extent or degree; gradually more: They became involved more and more in stock speculation.

11.

more or less,

to some extent; somewhat: She seemed more or less familiar with the subject.

about; in substance; approximately: We came to more or less the same conclusion.

Origin:
before 900; Middle English; Old English māra; cognate with Old High German mēro, Old Norse meiri, Gothic maiza. See most

Related forms

more·ness, noun

Can be confused: moor, more.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source

Link To more or less

Collins

World English Dictionary

more (mɔː)

—*determiner*
1.	a. much the comparative of many : more joy than you know; more pork sausages
	b. (as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural): he has more than she has; even more are dying every day
2.	a. additional; further: no more bananas
	b. (as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural): I can't take any more; more than expected
3.	more of to a greater extent or degree: we see more of Sue these days; more of a nuisance than it should be

—*adv*
4.	used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs: a more believable story; more quickly
5.	the comparative of much : people listen to the radio more now
6.	additionally; again: I'll look at it once more
7.	more or less
	a. as an estimate; approximately
	b. to an unspecified extent or degree: the party was ruined, more or less
8.	more so to a greater extent or degree
9.	neither more nor less than simply
10.	think more of to have a higher opinion of
11.	what is more moreover

More (mɔː)

—n
1.	Hannah. 1745--1833, English writer, noted for her religious tracts, esp The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain
2.	Sir Thomas. 1478--1535, English statesman, humanist, and Roman Catholic Saint; Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII (1529--32). His opposition to the annulment of Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon and his refusal to recognize the Act of Supremacy resulted in his execution on a charge of treason. In Utopia (1516) he set forth his concept of the ideal state. Feast day: June 22 or July 6

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

O.E. mara (adj.) "greater, more," used as a comp. of micel "great" (see mickle), from P.Gmc. *maizon (cf. O.S. mera, O.N. meiri, O.Fris. mara, M.Du. mere, O.H.G. mero, Ger. mehr), from PIE *meis (cf. Avestan mazja "greater," O.Ir. mor "great," Gk. -moros "great," Oscan mais

"more"). O.E. used related ma "more" as adv., n., from P.Gmc. *mais; this became M.E. mo, but more in this sense began to predominate in later M.E.

"Take some more tea," the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.

"I've had nothing yet," Alice replied in an offended tone, "so I can't take more."

"You mean you can't take less," said the Hatter: "it's very easy to take more than nothing."

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

American Heritage

Cultural Dictionary

mores [(mawr-ayz, mawr-eez)]

The customs and manners of a social group or culture. Mores often serve as moral guidelines for acceptable behavior but are not necessarily religious or ethical.

American Heritage

Abbreviations & Acronyms

MORE
Minority Outreach Research and Education

American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

more or less

Approximately, as in The truck will hold nine yards of dirt, more or less. This usage was first recorded in 1589.
Basically, essentially, as in We more or less agree on the substance of the letter. This usage was first recorded about 1225.

Matching Quote

"What one really wants is youth, and what one really loses is years. Life becomes at last a mere piece of acting. One goes on by habit, playing more or less clumsily that one is still alive. It is ludicrous and at times humiliating, but there is a certain style in it which youth has not. We become all, more or less, gentlemen; we are ancien régime; we learn to smile while gout racks us.... We get out of bed in the morning all broken up, without nerves, color or temper, and by noon we are joking with young women about the play. One lives in constant company with diseased hearts, livers, kidneys and lungs; one shakes hands with certain death at closer embrace every day; one sees paralysis in every feature and feels it in every muscle; all one's functions relax their action day by day; and, what is worse, one's grasp on the interests of life relaxes with the physical relaxation; and, through it all, we improve; our manners acquire refinement; our sympathies grow wider; our youthful self-consciousness disappears; very ordinary men and women are found to have charm; our appreciations have weight; we should almost get to respect ourselves if we knew of anything human to respect."

-Henry Brooks Adams

Want more or less ad-free? Click here!

Partners:Word Bloglines Citysearch The Daily Beast Ask Answers Ask Kids Life123 Sendori Home Advisor

About PRIVACY POLICY Terms API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Suggest a Word Help