| 释义 |
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: -less suffix forming adjectives - without; lacking: speechless
- not able to (do something) or not able to be (done, performed, etc): countless
Etymology: Old English -lās, from lēas lacking less /lɛs/USA pronunciation adv., [a comparative of little with least as superlative.]- to a smaller length, amount, or degree:a less-developed country.
- to say nothing of:[much/still + ~]I could barely pay for my own meal, much less hers.
- in any way different;
other:[with a negative word or phrase]He's nothing less than a thief.
adj., [a compar. of little with least as superl.] - smaller in size, amount, degree, etc.:He has less money than before.
- lower in consideration, rank, or importance:complained to no less a person than the mayor (= to no one ranking lower than the mayor).
- fewer:There were less than ten speakers before me.
n. [uncountable] - a smaller amount or quantity:She eats less every day.
- something not as important:People have been imprisoned for less.
prep. - minus;
without;
subtracting:a year less two days.
Idioms- Idioms less and less, to a decreasing extent or degree:I see less and less of my sister these days.
-less, suffix. - -less is attached to nouns to form adjectives with the meaning "without, not having (the thing or quality named by the noun)'':care + -less → careless;
shame + -less → shameless - -less is also attached to verbs to form adjectives with the meaning "that cannot be'' plus the -ed/en form of the verb;
or "that never'' plus the -s form of the verb:tire + -less → tireless (= that never tires);count + -less → countless (= that cannot be counted).
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024less (les),USA pronunciation adv., [a compar. of] little [with] least [as superl.]- to a smaller extent, amount, or degree:less exact.
- most certainly not (often prec. by much or still):He could barely pay for his own lodging, much less for that of his friend.
- in any way different;
other:He is nothing less than a thief. - Idioms less than, by far short of being;
not in the least;
hardly at all:The job is less than perfect.
adj., [a compar. of] little [with] least [as superl.] - smaller in size, amount, degree, etc.;
not so large, great, or much:less money; less speed. - lower in consideration, rank, or importance:no less a person than the manager.
- fewer:less than a dozen.
n. - a smaller amount or quantity:Hundreds of soldiers arrived, but less of them remained.
- something inferior or not as important:He was tortured for less.
prep. - minus;
without:a year less two days; six dollars less tax.
- bef. 900; Middle English; Old English lǣs (adverb, adverbial), lǣssa (adjective, adjectival); cognate with Old Frisian lês (adverb, adverbial), lêssa (adjective, adjectival). See least
- 5.See corresponding entry in Unabridged See small.
Even though less has been used before plural nouns (less words; less men) since the time of King Alfred, many modern usage guides say that only fewer can be used in such contexts. Less, they say, should modify singular mass nouns (less sugar; less money) and singular abstract nouns (less honesty; less love). It should modify plural nouns only when they suggest combination into a unit, group, or aggregation:less than $50(a sum of money); less than three miles (a unit of distance). With plural nouns specifying individuals or readily distinguishable units, the guides say that fewer is the only proper choice:fewer words; fewer men; no fewer than 31 of the 50 states.Modern standard English practice does not reflect this distinction. When followed by than, less occurs at least as often as fewer in modifying plural nouns that are not units or groups, and the use of less in this construction is increasing in all varieties of English:less than eight million people; no less than 31 of the 50 states.When not followed by than, fewer is more frequent only in formal written English, and in this construction also the use of less is increasing:This year we have had less crimes, less accidents, and less fires than in any of the last five years. -less, - an adjective suffix meaning "without'' (childless;
peerless), and in adjectives derived from verbs, indicating failure or inability to perform or be performed (resistless;
tireless).
- cognate with Old Norse lauss, German los, loose Middle English -les, Old English -lēas, special use of lēas free from, without, false
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