less
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++less1 /les/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb 1 LESSnot so much or to a smaller degree 更少地，较少地；较小程度地 OPP more Maybe he would worry less if he understood the situation. 他要是了解情况，也许就不会那么担心了。 In recent years she has appeared in public less frequently. 近年来她在公开场合露面的次数少了。less (...) than Tickets were less expensive than I had expected. 票比我原来想的要便宜。much/a lot/far less Social class matters a lot less than it used to. 社会阶层远不如以前重要了。not ... any the less/no less (=not less) 同样 Your second point is no less important. 你的第二点也同样重要。 It’s a common problem but this doesn’t make it any the less disturbing. 这是一个普遍问题，但同样令人担忧。 I know he’s done a dreadful thing, but I don’t love him any the less. 我知道他做了件很差劲的事，可我依然爱他。be less a ... than a ... (=be not so much like one thing as another) 不是…更像… ‘Will you please come with me?’ It was less a request than a command. “你和我一起去吧。” 这话不像请求，而更像是命令。2 less than helpful/honest/enthusiastic etc not at all helpful, honest etc 一点也没有帮助/一点也不诚实/一点也不热心等 He was less than enthusiastic about the idea. 他对这个想法一点也不热心。3 less and less LESSused to say that a quality, situation etc gradually decreases 越来越少；越来越小 OPP more and more As the years went by, he seemed to care less and less about his reputation. 一年年过去，他好像越来越不在乎自己的名声。5 Smoking in the workplace is becoming less and less acceptable.在工作场所抽烟越来越不被接受了。n Smoking is becoming less and less acceptable.4 much/still less NOTused to say that a greater thing is even less true, likely, or possible than the thing you have just mentioned 更不用说，更何况 These people can scarcely afford to buy food, still less luxury goods like perfume. 这些人连食物都买不起，更不用说香水这样的奢侈品了。 I didn’t think Dave would ever read a book, much less write one himself. 我觉得戴夫都不会去看一本书，更不用说自己去写了。
Examples from the Corpus
less• Our awards were presented by the mayor, no less.• But retail investors are trading less and borrowing less from their brokers, cutting the industry's core profits.• He seemed to care less and less about the band, and eventually decided to leave.• With the growth of telecommunications, the location of a company's headquarters is becoming less and less important.• You should drive less and walk more often.• They are less depressed, less likely to become addicted to drugs and less likely to commit suicide.• Tickets were less expensive than I expected.• Of course, it would be less expensive to use frozen fish.• I want something less formal than a traditional wedding dress.• Cycling was certainly less hazardous than today, as petrol rationing restricted motor traffic.• We go to movies less often than we used to.• However, the adaptation to changing potassium intakes is less rapid and less complete than for sodium.• But there has been a good deal less successful cross-border brand-building in the confectionery division.• This type of problem still occurs, but less than it did in the past.• How, they ask, can we entrust this task to some one whose character is anything less than spotless?• Since we got the car, we walk a lot less than we used to.• Gradual changes are much less traumatic than sudden changes.much/a lot/far less• We are sold through financial advisers and we have done a lot less advertising in the past.• But it took a lot less computing power to design a nuke than to test it in software today.• Under first-place-only restrictions, there would be a lot less dreaming.• I mean that was a lot less earlier beauties.• But absent sport, Sofie Fotakis would be a far less happy person.• Statements about beliefs play a far less obtrusive role in these games.• To my mind, the action was a lot less successful than the J-18 event in the City last year.• One could, however, imagine a lot less suitable choices.less2 ●●● S1 W1 determiner, pronoun 1 LESSa smaller amount or not as much 不那么多，更[较]少 OPP more Doctors recommend eating less salt. 医生建议少吃盐。 People today seem to have less time for each other. 现在人与人之间相处的时间好像比以前少了。 Most of us got £4 an hour, but some received even less. 我们中大多数人的报酬都是每小时4英镑，但有些人的报酬甚至更少。less of The map covered less of the area than I’d thought. 地图覆盖的范围比我原来想的要小。 Flying is less of a risk than driving. 乘飞机比开车风险小。less (...) than She knows less than I do about it. 这事她没有我知道的多。less than 10/100 etc a distance of less than 100 metres 不足100米的距离much/a lot less It costs much less to go by bus. 乘公共汽车去要便宜很多。5 GRAMMAR 语法• Less, not ‘fewer’, should be used before an uncountable noun. 不可数名词前应用less，而不用fewerLess electricity is used.用电量减少了。• Sometimes people use less before a plural noun, but many people think that this is incorrect, so it is better to use fewer, especially in writing. 有时有些人在复数名词前也用less，但许多人认为不正确，因此用fewer更好，尤其在书面语中There are fewer delays (NOT不说less delays).延误次数减少了 。n USAGE: Less, fewer• You use less before an uncountable noun: These light bulbs use less electricity.• You use fewer before a plural noun: There were fewer cars in those days. ✗Don't say: There were less cars in those days. Although you will hear people say this in everyday spoken English, it is considered to be incorrect.2 no less 3 nothing less than something EMPHASIZEIMPORTANTused to emphasize how important, serious, or impressive something is 简直是某物，绝对是某物4 less and less a decreasing amount of something 越来越少 OPP more and more5 in less than no time FAST/QUICKSOONvery quickly or very soon 很快地，迅速地6 less of something British English spokenSTOP DOING something used to tell a child to stop doing something 不要做某事〔对小孩说的话〕Examples from the Corpus
less of• She spends less of her time playing tennis now.less3 preposition formal COUNT/CALCULATEtaking away or not including a particular amount 减去，不计 SYN minus What is 121 less 36? 121减去36是多少？ He gave us our money back, less the $2 service charge. 他把钱还给我们，扣去两美元的服务费。-less /ləs/ suffix [in adjectives] 1 NOT HAVEwithout something 无…的2 XXnot doing or using something 不…的，不用…的3 XXnot possible to treat or affect in a particular way 不可能…的，不会…的Examples from the Corpus
-less• a tireless helper• ceaseless complaints• He was shirtless.From Longman Business Dictionarylessless /les/ preposition taking away a particular amount$150 less what you owe in taxes is $102.Origin -less Old English -leas, from leas “lacking, false”less1 adverbless2 determiner →5 GRAMMAR1 →n USAGE1less3 preposition-less suffixLDOCE OnlineChinese
Business not a so much degree or smaller Corpus to
less
less1 S1 W1 /les/ 
adverb
1. not so much or to a smaller degree
OPP more:
Maybe he would worry less if he understood the situation.
In recent years she has appeared in public less frequently.
less (...) than
Tickets were less expensive than I had expected.
much/a lot/far less
Social class matters a lot less than it used to.
not ... any the less/no less (=not less)
Your second point is no less important.
It’s a common problem but this doesn’t make it any the less disturbing.
I know he’s done a dreadful thing, but I don’t love him any the less.
be less a ... than a ... (=be not so much like one thing as another)
‘Will you please come with me?’ It was less a request than a command.
2. less than helpful/honest/enthusiastic etc not at all helpful, honest etc:
He was less than enthusiastic about the idea.
3. less and less used to say that a quality, situation etc gradually decreases
OPP more and more:
As the years went by, he seemed to care less and less about his reputation.
Smoking in the workplace is becoming less and less acceptable.
4. much/still less used to say that a greater thing is even less true, likely, or possible than the thing you have just mentioned:
These people can scarcely afford to buy food, still less luxury goods like perfume.
I didn’t think Dave would ever read a book, much less write one himself.
less2 S1 W1 determiner, pronoun
1. a smaller amount or not as much
OPP more:
Doctors recommend eating less salt.
People today seem to have less time for each other.
Most of us got £4 an hour, but some received even less.
less of
The map covered less of the area than I’d thought.
Flying is less of a risk than driving.
less (...) than
She knows less than I do about it.
less than 10/100 etc
a distance of less than 100 metres
much/a lot less
It costs much less to go by bus.
GRAMMAR
Less, not __fewer__, should be used before an uncountable noun:
▪Less electricity is used.
► Sometimes people use less before a plural noun, but many people think that this is incorrect, so it is better to use fewer, especially in writing:
▪There are fewer delays (NOT less delays).
2. no less
a. used to emphasize that an amount or number is large
no less than
By 1977, the USA was importing no less than 45% of its oil.
b. used to emphasize that the person or thing you are talking about is important or impressive:
Our awards were presented by the mayor, no less.
The message came from no less a person than the prime minister.
3. nothing less than something used to emphasize how important, serious, or impressive something is:
His appearance in the show was nothing less than a sensation.
4. less and less a decreasing amount of something
OPP more and more:
They began spending less and less time together.
less and less of
The band was doing less and less of that kind of music.
5. in less than no time very quickly or very soon:
In less than no time they found that they owed over $10,000.
6. less of something British English spoken used to tell a child to stop doing something:
Less of that noise, please!
less3 preposition formal
taking away or not including a particular amount
SYN minus:
What is 121 less 36?
He gave us our money back, less the $2 service charge.
| I |
adverb1. not so much or to a smaller degree
OPP more:
less (...) than
much/a lot/far less
not ... any the less/no less (=not less)
be less a ... than a ... (=be not so much like one thing as another)
2. less than helpful/honest/enthusiastic etc not at all helpful, honest etc:
3. less and less used to say that a quality, situation etc gradually decreases
OPP more and more:
4. much/still less used to say that a greater thing is even less true, likely, or possible than the thing you have just mentioned:
| II |
determiner, pronoun1. a smaller amount or not as much
OPP more:
less of
less (...) than
less than 10/100 etc
much/a lot less
GRAMMAR
Less, not __fewer__, should be used before an uncountable noun:
▪
► Sometimes people use less before a plural noun, but many people think that this is incorrect, so it is better to use fewer, especially in writing:
▪
2. no less
a. used to emphasize that an amount or number is large
no less than
b. used to emphasize that the person or thing you are talking about is important or impressive:
3. nothing less than something used to emphasize how important, serious, or impressive something is:
4. less and less a decreasing amount of something
OPP more and more:
less and less of
5. in less than no time very quickly or very soon:
6. less of something British English spoken used to tell a child to stop doing something:
| III |
preposition formaltaking away or not including a particular amount
SYN minus:
often