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Amount Smaller I Time Thing Fewer Les Number

This flashcard defines "less" with multiple grammatical functions: determiner, pronoun, adverb, and preposition. It illustrates each use with examples, covering comparative forms, phrases like "less than," and the distinction between "less" (uncountable nouns) and "fewer" (countable nouns).

This flashcard defines "less" as a word that can function as a determiner, pronoun, adverb, or preposition. It provides multiple examples for each usage, including comparative forms like "less fortunate" and phrases like "less than" and "less and less," along with a usage note clarifying when to use "less" versus "fewer" (for uncountable vs. countable nouns).

word less
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Collins
less ★★★★★
/le̱s/

Less is often considered to be the comparative form of little.

less常被看作是little的比较级。

1
[DET 限定词](数量)较小(或少)的;更小(或少)的(前面可用a little,a lot,a bit,far和much等修饰) You use less to indicate that there is a smaller amount of something than before or than average. You can use 'a little', 'a lot', 'a bit', 'far', and 'much' in front of less.
  [DET n-uncount]
  [QUANT of def-n-uncount/sing]
  • People should eat less fat to reduce the risk of heart disease.

    人们应该减少脂肪摄入,以降低患心脏病的危险。

  • ...a dishwasher that uses less water and electricity than older machines...

    较旧式机器省水省电的洗碗机

  • Children of very low ability should not be permitted to pay less attention to the sciences.

    不应让能力非常差的孩子放松对理科课程的学习。

  • Less is also a pronoun.
    • Borrowers are striving to ease their financial position by spending less and saving more.

      借债人正努力减少支出、增加储蓄,以缓解财务紧张的窘况。

  • Less is also a quantifier.
    • Last year less of the money went into high-technology companies...

      去年,投入高科技公司的资金有所减少。

    • The other option would be for me to own less of the house but that would be stupid.

      还有一个选择是我放弃房子的部分产权,但这是个蠢办法。

2
[PREP-PHRASE 短语介词](用在数字或数量前)少于,低于,比…少 You use less than before a number or amount to say that the actual number or amount is smaller than this.
  [PREP amount]
  • Motorways actually cover less than 0.1 percent of the countryside...

    高速公路的实际覆盖面积还不到农村地区的0.1%。

  • Less than a half hour later he returned upstairs.

    不到半个小时,他又跑上楼来。

3
[ADV-COMPAR 副词比较级形式](某一特性的程度与以往或一般情况相比)较轻地,较差地 You use less to indicate that something or someone has a smaller amount of a quality than they used to or than is average or usual.
  [ADV adj/adv]
  • I often think about those less fortunate than me...

    我经常想到那些没我这么幸运的人。

  • Other amenities, less commonly available, include a library and exercise room...

    还有一些不太常有的设施,包括图书馆和健身房。

  • Poverty is less of a problem now than it used to be.

    贫穷问题已较过去有所缓解。

4
[ADV-COMPAR 副词比较级形式]不像…(更像…);与其说…(倒不如说…) If you say that something is less one thing than another, you mean that it is like the second thing rather than the first.
  [ADV group than group/cl]
  • At first sight it looked less like a capital city than a mining camp...

    乍看上去,它不像是首府,更像是矿工村。

  • Trades union leadership in those days was less a career than a vocation.

    那时候的工会领导与其说是一份职业,倒不如说是一种使命。

5
[ADV-COMPAR 副词比较级形式](做得)较少,更少 If you do something less than before or less than someone else, you do it to a smaller extent or not as often.
  [ADV with v]
  • We are eating more and exercising less...

    我们吃得多了,锻炼却少了。

  • I see less of any of my friends than I used to.

    我见所有朋友都比以前少了。

6
[PHR-CONJ-COORD ](用于否定句后)遑论,更何况,更不用说 You use the expressions still less ,much less, and even less after a negative statement in order to introduce and emphasize a further statement, and to make it negative too.
  [emphasis]
  [FORMAL 正式]
  • I never talked about it, still less about her...

    我从来没说起过这事,更没有提起过她。

  • The boy didn't have a girlfriend, much less a wife.

    这小伙子连女朋友都没有,更不用提老婆了。

7
[PREP 介词](用在数字或数量前)扣除,减去 When you are referring to amounts, you use less in front of a number or quantity to indicate that it is to be subtracted from another number or quantity already mentioned.
  • ...Boyton Financial Services Fees: £750, less £400...

    博伊顿金融服务费:750英镑,扣除400英镑

  • Company car drivers will pay between ten and twenty five percent, less tax.

    公司的司机要支付10%到25%,从中扣除税款。

Usage Note :

You use less to talk about amounts that cannot be counted. ...less meat. When you are talking about things that can be counted, you should use fewer. ...fewer potatoes.

谈论不可数事物的数量用less,如:less meat(较少的肉)。谈论可数事物则用fewer,如:fewer potatoes(较少的马铃薯)。

8
[PHRASE 短语]逐渐减少;越来越小 You use less and less to say that something is becoming smaller all the time in degree or amount.
  [usu PHR group/cl]
  • The couple seem to spend less and less time together...

    两口子在一起的时间似乎越来越少。

  • She sounded less and less eager to return to Ireland...

    听她话音,她回爱尔兰的热情似乎日渐消退。

  • Many basic goods are now rationed. Less and less is available.

    很多基本商品现在都要定量供给。能买到的东西越来越少。

9
[PHRASE 短语]毫不;完全不;一点都不 You use less than to say that something does not have a particular quality. For example, if you describe something as less than perfect, you mean that it is not perfect at all.
  [PHR adj/adv]
  [emphasis]
  • Her greeting was less than enthusiastic...

    她的问候一点都不热情。

  • Her advice has frequently been less than wholly helpful.

    她的建议往往毫无帮助。

10
[PHRASE 短语](对某事物或某人的重要性表示惊讶或钦佩)竟然,居然 You can use no less as a way of expressing surprise or admiration at the importance of something or someone.
  [cl/group PHR]
  [emphasis]
  • He had returned to England in an aircraft carrier no less...

    他竟然坐航空母舰回的英格兰。

  • Who wrote the screenplay from Patricia Highsmith's book? Raymond Chandler, no less.

    帕特里夏·海史密斯那本书是谁改编成剧本的?雷蒙德·钱德勒呀,厉害。

11
[PHRASE 短语](对某一数目之大表示惊奇)多达 You use no less than before an amount to indicate that the amount is larger than you expected.
  [PHR amount]
  [emphasis]
  • No less than 35 per cent of the country is protected in the form of parks and nature sanctuaries...

    该国多达35%的地区以公园和自然保护区的形式受到保护。

  • He is lined up for no less than four US television interviews.

    多达4家美国电视媒体排期邀请他上节目接受采访。

12
couldn't care less→see:
care
; more or less→see:
more
; nothing less than→see:
nothing

    Oxford less / les ; NAmE les /
    determiner
    ,
    pronoun
    ,
    adverb
    ,
    preposition
    determiner , pronoun used with uncountable nouns to mean ‘a smaller amount of’ (与不可数名词连用)较少的,更少的 less butter/time/importance 较少的黄油╱时间;次要 He was advised to smoke fewer cigarettes and drink less beer. 有人劝他少抽烟、少喝啤酒。 We have less to worry about now. 现在我们要担忧的事少一些了。 It is less ofa problem thanI'd expected. 问题不像我预料的那么大。 We'll be there in less than no time (= very soon). 我们马上就到。 The victory was nothing less thana miracle. 这场胜利是个不折不扣的奇迹。 HELP  People often use lesswith countable nouns. *less 与可数名词连用颇常见 There were less cars on the road then. This is not considered correct by some people, and fewershould be used instead. 有人认为这不正确,应用 fewer。 IDIOMS ˌless and ˈless smaller and smaller amounts 越来越少 As time passed, she saw less and less of all her old friends at home. 随着时间的消逝,她越来越见不到家乡那些老朋友了。 ˌless is ˈmore ( saying) include only what is essential in order to create an effective product or result 少即是多;以少见多;简单就是美 His simple, elegant paintings reflect his principle that less is more. 他简洁典雅的绘画反映出他简约就是美的原则。 no ˈless ( often ironic) used to suggest that sth is surprising or impressive (表示惊讶或钦佩)竟,居然 She's having lunch with the Director, no less. 她居然正在与主管一起进午餐。 no less than… used to emphasize a large amount (强调大数量)不少于,多达 The guide contains details of no less than 115 hiking routes. 这本导游指南包括多达 115 条徒步旅行路线的详细介绍。 adverb to a smaller degree; not so much 较少;较小;更少;更小;没那么多;少 less expensive/likely/intelligent 价钱较便宜;可能性较小;智力较差 less often/enthusiastically 不那么经常╱热情 I read much less now than I used to. 我现在看的书比过去少得多。 The receptionist was less than (= not at all)helpful. 那接待员一点忙也帮不上。 She wasn't any the lesshappy for (= she was perfectly happy)being on her own. 她并不因独自一人而有一丁点儿不快活。 That this is a positive stereotype makes it no less astereotype, and therefore unacceptable. 这种成见即使是积极的也不失之为成见,因而是不可取的。 IDIOMS even/much/still ˈless and certainly not 更不用说;更何况 No explanation was offered, still less an apology. 连个解释都不给,就更不用说道歉了。 ˌless and ˈless continuing to become smaller in amount 越来越少;越来越小 She found the job less and less attractive. 她发觉那工作越来越没意思。 more at
    more
    adv.
    preposition used before a particular amount that must be taken away from the amount just mentioned 减去;扣除 SYN
    minus
    a monthly salary of $2 000 less tax and insurance 月薪 2 000 元,从中扣除税款和保险费
    less / les ; NAmE les /
    LDC
    less1 adverb
    less2 determiner, pronoun
    less3 preposition
    lessless1 /les/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb
    Examples
    Thesaurus
    Collocations
    Phrases
    1not so much or to a smaller degree OPP  more:  Maybe he would worry less if he understood the situation. In recent years she has appeared in public less frequently.less (...) than Tickets were less expensive than I had expected.much/a lot/far less Social class matters a lot less than it used to.not ... any the less/no less (=not less) Your second point is no less important. It’s a common problem but this doesn’t make it any the less disturbing. I know he’s done a dreadful thing, but I don’t love him any the less.be less a ... than a ... (=be not so much like one thing as another) ‘Will you please come with me?’ It was less a request than a command.2 less than helpful/honest/enthusiastic etc not at all helpful, honest etc:  He was less than enthusiastic about the idea.3less and less used to say that a quality, situation etc gradually decreases OPP  more and more:  As the years went by, he seemed to care less and less about his reputation. Smoking is becoming less and less acceptable.4much/still less used to say that a greater thing is even less true, likely, or possible than the thing you have just mentioned:  These people can scarcely afford to buy food, still less luxury goods like perfume. I didn’t think Dave would ever read a book, much less write one himself.
    less1 adverb
    less2 determiner, pronoun
    less3 preposition
    lessless2 ●●● S1 W1 determiner, pronoun
    Thesaurus
    Collocations
    Phrases
    1a smaller amount or not as much OPP  more:  Doctors recommend eating less salt. People today seem to have less time for each other. Most of us got £4 an hour, but some received even less.less of The map covered less of the area than I’d thought. Flying is less of a risk than driving.less (...) than She knows less than I do about it.less than 10/100 etc a distance of less than 100 metresmuch/a lot less It costs much less to go by bus.USAGE: Less, fewerYou use less before an uncountable noun: · These light bulbs use less electricity.You use fewer before a plural noun: · There were fewer cars in those days. Don't say: There were less cars in those days. Although you will hear people say this in everyday spoken English, it is considered to be incorrect.2 no less a)used to emphasize that an amount or number is largeno less than By 1977, the USA was importing no less than 45% of its oil. b)used to emphasize that the person or thing you are talking about is important or impressive:  Our awards were presented by the mayor, no less. The message came from no less a person than the prime minister.3nothing less than something used to emphasize how important, serious, or impressive something is:  His appearance in the show was nothing less than a sensation.4less and less a decreasing amount of something OPP  more and more:  They began spending less and less time together.less of The band was doing less and less of that kind of music.5in less than no time very quickly or very soon:  In less than no time they found that they owed over $10,000.6less of something British English spoken used to tell a child to stop doing something:  Less of that noise, please!
    less1 adverb
    less2 determiner, pronoun
    less3 preposition
    lessless3 preposition formal
    Thesaurus
    Collocations
    Phrases
    taking away or not including a particular amount SYN  minus:  What is 121 less 36? He gave us our money back, less the $2 service charge.
    WDF

    less

    [les]
    原型:les
    CET4CET6TEM4考研
    r477
    89409
    9961
    10293
    24452
    15744
    28959
    d620
    67456
    9922
    6159
    19869
    14741
    16765
    ADV639
    2437152
    DET641
    2432751

    Spoken:

    554112739
    减(43%),较少的(20%),更少的(18%),较少地(10%),少量(4%),次要(3%),更少地(2%)
    adv.较少地;较小地;更小地
    adj.较少的;较小的
    prep.减去
    n.较少;较小
    n.(Less)人名;(德、意、匈、芬)莱斯

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