Definition of "less" in Anglais

adverb

1. comparative degree of little

   • I slept even less last night than I did the night before.
   • I like him less each time I see him.
   • All my cares grew less until completely gone.

2. Used for constructing syntactic diminutive comparatives of adjectives and adverbs.

   • Randal is less welcome than Rachel but as her spouse we should invite them both.
   • This gadget is less useful than I expected.
   • I'm not any less happy for being on my own.

3. To a smaller extent or degree.

   • The grammar book was less than (that is, not at all) helpful.
   • That this is a positive one makes it no less a stereotype, and therefore unacceptable.

determiner

1. (Now chiefly of numbers or dimensions) comparative form of little: more little; of inferior size, degree or extent; smaller, lesser.

2. A smaller amount of; not as much.

   • No less than eight pints of beer.
   • I have less tea than coffee.
   • You have even less sense than an inanimate object.

3. (nonstandard, proscribed) Fewer; a smaller number of.

   • There are less people here now.
   • Now there are three less green bottles hanging on the wall.

preposition

1. Minus; not including

   • It should then tax all of that as personal income, less the proportion of the car's annual mileage demonstrably clocked up on company business.

verb

1. (archaic) To make less; to lessen.

   • 1386-90, Gower, Confessio Amantis What he will make lesse, he lesseth.
   • c. 1650, Patrick Gordon of Ruthven, A short Abridgement of Britane's Distemper, from the yeares of God 1639 to 1649, printed 1844 for the Spalding Club Som of the wiser sort, divining upon this vission, attrebute to the pen-knyves the lenth of tym before this should com to pass, and it hath been observed by sindrie that the earles of that hous befor wer the richest in the kingdom, having treasure and store besyde them, but ever since the addittion of this so great a revenue, they have lessed the stock by heavie burdens of debt and ingagment.
   • The protracted term of life, and the lingering illness through which this gentleman had passed, had neither impaired the original vigour of his mind, nor lessed the uncommon warmth of his affections.