than
preposition, conjunction /ðən/, strong form /ðæn/
/ðən/, strong form /ðæn/
Idioms - used to introduce the second part of a comparison
- I'm older than her.
- There was more whisky in it than soda.
- He loves me more than you do.
- It was much better than I'd expected.
- You should know better than to behave like that.
- I'd rather email than phone, if that's OK by you.
- more/less/fewer, etc. than used for comparing amounts, numbers, distances, etc.
- It never takes more than an hour.
- It's less than a mile to the beach.
- There were fewer than twenty people there.
- used in expressions showing that one thing happens straight after another
- No sooner had I sat down than there was a loud knock on the door.
- Hardly had we arrived than the problems started.
Word OriginOld English than(ne), thon(ne), thænne, originally the same word as then.
Idioms
other than usually used in negative sentences
- except
- I don't know any French people other than you.
- We're going away in June but other than that I'll be here all summer.
- (formal) different or in a different way from; not
- I have never known him to behave other than selfishly.