Talk:less

Words ending in -less

What about words ending in less:

Wireless ... a radio. Fireless engine ... a steam engine with no firebox, but loaded with steam to do its work. Batteryless radio ... a clockwork radio.

203.41.133.81 02:47, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

Synonym of fewer?

The definition very cleverly side-stepped the argument over the use of less to mean fewer. I hope that my clarification is sufficiently neutral in PoV. I have held both views. Can you determine which view I currently hold? Dbfirs 23:15, 12 January 2008 (UTC)

Strictly, less used in this sense is a determiner, but that's just a fussy grammarian's word for a special sort of adjective isn't it? Are the other adjectival senses of less also determiners? (I'm not proposing that we change the header!) Dbfirs 20:06, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

Less as determiner

I don't see English less listed as a determiner, which is how I would classify it, but then in the adjective section it says something like "less as a determiner..."

Etymology

The etymology of LESS is unattestable beyond the Old English form; but various kinships including Cornish LÊ[5] and Ancient Greek ΈΛΑΣΣΩΝ (ELASSŌN)[6], point to a Proto-Indo-European root *L2Gh2S[4], partly due to the lemma ἘΛΑΧΥΣ (ELAKHUS) (small, light) and Sanskrit LAGHUS (light in weight). Andrew H. Gray 11:23, 8 October 2016 (UTC) Andrew (talk)

[0] means 'Absolutely not; [1] means 'Exceedingly unlikely'; [2] means 'Very dubious'; [3] means 'Questionable'; [4] means 'Possible'; [5] means 'Probable'; [6] means 'Likely'; [7] means 'Most Likely' or *Unattested; [8] means 'Attested'; [9] means 'Obvious' - only used for close matches within the same language or dialect, at linkable periods. '2' inserted in root words stands for a laryngeal to represent an 'a' that does not exist. √ means original or earliest root.  Andrew H. Gray 18:56, 18 January 2020 (UTC)Andrew

RFV discussion: November 2019

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less

Verb. to lessen Sole cite is from John Gower, a contemporary of Chaucer's. DCDuring (talk) 19:04, 8 November 2019 (UTC)

cited. I even added a few quite recent quotes to the citations page, but I think they are by non-native speakers. The three on the page itself, however, I think are convincing. Kiwima (talk) 00:27, 9 November 2019 (UTC)

Indeed. I've adjusted the dates of 2 of the cites to show the dates the words were originally written, in one case ("1650") very approximately. DCDuring (talk) 20:03, 9 November 2019 (UTC)

RFV-passed Kiwima (talk) 20:33, 16 November 2019 (UTC)

pay less taxes vs pay less in taxes ; Less for singular nouns or units of measure

Garner's fourth edition reads

As a noun, less means “a smaller amount” or “something not as important.” Occasionally, writers make it an adjective when it should be a noun—e.g.: “He wants business to make money and everyone to pay less taxes [read less in taxes].”

Less for singular nouns or units of measure: less tonic water, one less golfer, less than six ounces of epoxy 

--Backinstadiums (talk) 08:45, 27 October 2020 (UTC)

one less/fewer person --Backinstadiums (talk) 10:41, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

[with a negative word or phrase] in any way different; other:

Adverb: [with a negative word or phrase] in any way different; other:
He's nothing less than a thief.
https://www.wordreference.com/definition/less

Compare the current no less --Backinstadiums (talk) 08:47, 27 October 2020 (UTC)

St James the Less

What part of speech is used in St James the Less ? --Backinstadiums (talk) 11:56, 28 January 2020 (UTC)

Adjective, same as lesser. Equinox ◑ 11:58, 28 January 2020 (UTC)

fewer vs less than

When followed by than, LESS occurs at least as often as FEWER in modifying plural nouns that are not units or groups: less than eight million people; no less than 31 of the 50 states.
https://www.wordreference.com/definition/less

--Backinstadiums (talk) 12:20, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

noun: 2. something not as important

People have been imprisoned for less --Backinstadiums (talk) 09:57, 13 August 2020 (UTC)

less than

less than 
Not at all: He had a less than favorable view of the matter.
https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=less

--Backinstadiums (talk) 10:05, 13 August 2020 (UTC)

adjective

least reads "(Adjective) superlative form of less: most less". Which entry is wrong? --Backinstadiums (talk) 17:29, 16 August 2020 (UTC)

I'm adding an adjective sense here now (citing "a less matter" from Stevenson). Dated synonym of lesser. Equinox ◑ 01:46, 27 September 2021 (UTC)

still less

LESS adverb (a comparative of  little with  least as superlative)
2. [much/still + ~] To say nothing of:
I could barely pay for my own meal, much less hers.
https://www.wordreference.com/definition/less

--Backinstadiums (talk) 08:50, 27 October 2020 (UTC)

less of

What PoS is it in sentences such as we see less of John these days or less of a success than I'd hoped ? --Backinstadiums (talk) 09:31, 27 October 2020 (UTC)

What about We should eat less of some fats ?. --Backinstadiums (talk) 10:32, 23 November 2020 (UTC)

(noun) a smaller amount or quantity: Hundreds of soldiers arrived, but less of them remained. --Backinstadiums (talk) 10:51, 23 March 2021 (UTC)

in less than no time

How should in less than no time be parsed? --Backinstadiums (talk) 10:43, 23 November 2020 (UTC)