| 单词 | less |
| 释义 | less (les ) Less is often considered to be the comparative form of little1. 1. determiner A2 You use less to indicate that there is a smaller amount of something than before or than average. You can use 'a little', 'a lot', 'a bit', ' far', and 'much' in front of less. People should eat less fat to reduce the risk of heart disease. ...a dishwasher that uses less water and electricity than older machines. Less is also a pronoun. Borrowers are striving to ease their financial position by spending less and saving more. Less is also a quantifier. Last year less of the money went into high-technology companies. The other option would be for me to own less of the house but that would be stupid. 2. phrase A2 You use less than before a number or amount to say that the actual number or amount is smaller than this. Motorways actually cover less than 0.1 percent of the countryside. Less than a half hour later he returned upstairs. 3. adverb [ADVERB adjective/adverb] B1 You use less to indicate that something or someone has a smaller amount of a quality than they used to or than is average or usual. I often think about those less fortunate than me. Other amenities, less commonly available, include a library and exercise room. Poverty is less of a problem now than it used to be. [+ of] 4. adverb If you say that something is less one thing than another, you mean that it is like the second thing rather than the first. At first sight it looked less like a capital city than a mining camp. Trades union leadership in those days was less a career than a vocation. 5. adverb [ADVERB with verb] A2 If you do something less than before or less than someone else, you do it to a smaller extent or not as often. We are eating more and exercising less. I see less of any of my friends than I used to. [+ of] Synonyms: to a smaller extent, little, barely, not much 6. phrase You use the expressions still less, much less, and even less after a negative statement in order to introduce and emphasize a further statement, and to make it negative too. [formal, emphasis] I never talked about it, still less about her. The boy didn't have a girlfriend, much less a wife. 7. preposition When you are referring to amounts, you use less in front of a number or quantity to indicate that it is to be subtracted from another number or quantity already mentioned. ...Boyton Financial Services Fees: £750, less £400. Company car drivers will pay between ten and twenty five percent, less tax. Synonyms: minus, without, lacking, excepting 8. less and less phrase [usu PHR group/cl, PHRASE with verb] You use less and less to say that something is becoming smaller all the time in degree or amount. The couple seem to spend less and less time together. She sounded less and less eager to return to Ireland. Many basic goods are now rationed. Less and less is available. 9. less than phrase You use less than to say that something does not have a particular quality. For example, if you describe something as less than perfect, you mean that it is not perfect at all. [emphasis] Her greeting was less than enthusiastic. Her advice has frequently been less than wholly helpful. 10. no less phrase [cl/group PHR] You can use no less as a way of expressing surprise or admiration at the importance of something or someone. [emphasis] He had returned to England in an aircraft carrier no less. 11. no less than phrase You use no less than before an amount to indicate that the amount is surprisingly large. [emphasis] The Amazon is no less than 200 miles wide at its mouth. He is lined up for no less than four U.S. television interviews. 12. couldn't care less phrase If you say that you couldn't care less about someone or something, you are emphasizing that you are not interested in them or worried about them. In American English, you can also say that you could care less, with the same meaning. [emphasis] I couldn't care less about the bloody woman. [+ about] Personally, I couldn't have cared less whether the ice-cream came from Italy or England. I used to be proud working for them; now I could care less. I'm just out here for the money. Personally, I could care less whether the Giants come or not. 13. more or less phrase B2 If something is more or less true, it is true in a general way, but is not completely true. [vagueness] The Conference is more or less over. He more or less started the firm. I was meeting these chaps who were mostly more or less my own age. Synonyms: approximately, about, nearly, close to 14. nothing less than phrase [PHR n/adj] You can use nothing less than to emphasize your next words, often indicating that something seems very surprising or important. [emphasis] To Wendy and me, at least, it was nothing less than a miracle. -less (-ləs ) suffix -less is added to nouns in order to form adjectives that indicate that someone or something does not have the thing that the noun refers to. ...drink and talk and meaningless laughter. He is not as friendless as he appeared to be. Quotations: Less is more Translations: Chinese: 较少地, 较少, 较少的 Japanese: 少なく, より少量, より少ない |
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