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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024than /ðæn, ðɛn; unstressed ðən, ən/USA pronunciation conj. - (used after comparative adjectives and adverbs and certain other words, such as other, more, etc., to introduce the second part of a comparison):an increase of more than fifty dollars a week; She's taller than I am. The rabbit runs faster than the turtle.
- (used after some adverbs and adjectives that express choices or differences, such as other, otherwise, else, anywhere, different, etc., in order to introduce a choice (including a rejected choice) or to name or show a difference in kind, place, style, identity, etc.):We had no choice other than to return home. I'd rather walk there than drive.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024than (ᵺan, ᵺen; unstressed ᵺən, ən),USA pronunciation conj. - (used, as after comparative adjectives and adverbs, to introduce the second member of an unequal comparison):She's taller than I am.
- (used after some adverbs and adjectives expressing choice or diversity, such as other, otherwise, else, anywhere, or different, to introduce an alternative or denote a difference in kind, place, style, identity, etc.):I had no choice other than that. You won't find such freedom anywhere else than in this country.
- (used to introduce the rejected choice in expressions of preference):I'd rather walk than drive there.
- except;
other than:We had no choice than to return home. - when:We had barely arrived than we had to leave again.
prep. - Pronounsin relation to;
by comparison with (usually fol. by a pronoun in the objective case):He is a person than whom I can imagine no one more courteous.
- bef. 900; Middle English, Old English than(ne) than, then, when, variant (in special senses) of thonne then; cognate with German dann then, denn than, Dutch dan then, than
Whether than is to be followed by the objective or subjective case of a pronoun is much discussed in usage guides. When, as a conjunction, than introduces a subordinate clause, the case of any pronouns following than is determined by their function in that clause:He is younger than I am.I like her better than I like him.When than is followed only by a pronoun or pronouns, with no verb expressed, the usual advice for determining the case is to form a clause mentally after than to see whether the pronoun would be a subject or an object. Thus, the sentences He was more upset than I and She gave him more sympathy than I are to be understood, respectively, as He was more upset than I was and She gave him more sympathy than I gave him. In the second sentence, the use of the objective case after than (She gave him more sympathy than me) would produce a different meaning (She gave him more sympathy than she gave me). This method of determining the case of pronouns after than is generally employed in formal speech and writing.Than occurs as a preposition in the old and well-established construction than whom:a musician than whom none is more expressive.In informal, especially uneducated, speech and writing, than is usually treated as a preposition and followed by the objective case of the pronoun:He is younger than me.She plays better poker than him, but you play even better than her.See also but1, different, me. Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: than /ðæn; (unstressed) ðən/ conj , prep (coordinating)- used to introduce the second element of a comparison, the first element of which expresses difference: shorter than you, couldn't do otherwise than love him, he swims faster than I run
- used after adverbs such as rather or sooner to introduce a rejected alternative in an expression of preference: rather than be imprisoned, I shall die
Etymology: Old English thanne; related to Old Saxon, Old High German thanna; see thenUSAGE
In formal English, than is usually regarded as a conjunction governing an unexpressed verb: he does it far better than I (do). The case of any pronoun therefore depends on whether it is the subject or object of the unexpressed verb: she likes him more than I (like him); she likes him more than (she likes) me. However in ordinary speech and writing than is usually treated as a preposition and is followed by the object form of a pronoun: my brother is younger than me |