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less

determiner, pronoun
 OPAL WOPAL S
🔊/les/
🔊/les/
Idioms
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  1. 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 something 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。🔊🔊
    • less to do We have less to worry about now.现在我们要担忧的事少一些了。🔊🔊
    • less of something They say we should exercise and eat less of some kinds of fat.他们说我们应该运动，少吃一些脂肪。
    • less than… We'll be there in less than no time (= very soon).我们马上就到。🔊🔊
    • The victory was nothing less than a miracle.这场胜利是个不折不扣的奇迹。🔊🔊
    • less of something than… It is less of a problem than I'd expected.问题不像我预料的那么大。🔊🔊
    People often use less with countable nouns There were less cars on the road then. This is not considered correct in standard English, and fewer should be used instead.
    Word OriginOld English lǣssa, of Germanic origin; related to Old Frisian lēssa, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek loisthos ‘last’.
Idioms
less and less
  1. smaller and smaller amounts; at a rate that is decreasing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。🔊🔊
    • There used to be TV shows that everyone would watch at the same time and talk about the next day, but that happens less and less.过去有电视节目，每个人都会在同一时间观看并谈论第二天，但是这种情况越来越少。
less is more
  1. (saying) including only what is essential can create a more 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.他简洁典雅的绘画体现出他简约就是美的原则。🔊🔊
no less
  1. (often ironic) used to suggest that something 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…
  1. 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.这本旅游指南包括多达 115 条徒步旅行路线的详细介绍。🔊🔊
  1. 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
    • less than… 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.那接待员一点忙都不愿帮。🔊🔊
    • She wasn't any the less happy 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 a stereotype, and therefore unacceptable.这种成见即使是积极的也依然是成见，因而是不可取的。🔊🔊
    Oxford Collocations DictionaryLess is used with these adjectives:
    • able
    • evident
    • inclined
    • …
    See full entry
    Word OriginOld English lǣssa, of Germanic origin; related to Old Frisian lēssa, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek loisthos ‘last’.
Idioms
less and less
  1. 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 or less
  1.  
     almost几乎；差不多
    • I've more or less finished the book.我差不多已经读完这本书了。🔊🔊
  2.  
     approximately大概；大约
    • She could earn $200 a night, more or less.她一晚上大约能挣 200 美元。🔊🔊
much/still less
  1. 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。🔊🔊
    • He’s too shy to ask a stranger the time, much less speak to a room full of people.他很害羞，无法向陌生人问时间，更不用说在一个人满为患的房间里说话了。

less

preposition
🔊/les/
🔊/les/
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  1. used before a particular amount that must be taken away from the amount just mentioned减去；扣除 synonym minus
    • a monthly salary of $2 000 less tax and insurance月薪 2 000 美元，从中扣除税款和保险费
    • Send a cheque for the catalogue price, less 10% discount.寄一张按目录价格打九折的支票。
    Word OriginOld English lǣssa, of Germanic origin; related to Old Frisian lēssa, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek loisthos ‘last’.