less adj. 〔little 的比較級之一〕 1.更小的,較小的,更少的,較少的。 2.較次的,較劣的,較不重要的;身分較低的。 find less difficulty with one's work 覺得工作困難較少。 Your shadow hasn't grown any less. 你一點(diǎn)也沒有瘦。 an article of less weight 更輕的東西。 Eat more vegetable and less meat. 多吃蔬菜少吃肉。 He spends less time at work than at play. 他工作上的時間比游玩時間少。 less but better 少而精。 L- noise, please! 請靜一點(diǎn)。 More haste, less speed. 〔諺語〕欲速則不達(dá)。 try to make less mistakes 盡量少犯錯誤。 an article of less value 更不值錢的東西。 a matter of less importance 次要的事情。 James the L- 副手杰姆斯,打下手的杰姆斯。 ★ 表示數(shù)量意義時, fewer 比 less 普通: Fewer people study Latin today than formerly. 現(xiàn)在學(xué)拉丁文的人比從前少了。 far less 遠(yuǎn)不及。 little less 少一點(diǎn)。 little less than 相差無幾。 more or less 多少,或多或少,若干。 no less than 1. 正好…,至少…,有…那么多 (He has no less than three daughters. 他有三個女兒之多)。 2. 原來就是,…那樣的 (He was no less (a person) than the mayor. 他原來就是市長)。 nothing less than = no less than (We expected nothing less than an attack. 受攻擊是預(yù)料到的)。 adv. 1.較少,更少。 2.沒有…那樣。 be less known 不大著名。 He is less fat than he was. 他不及過去胖了。 The heat has grown less intense. 沒有先前那樣熱了。 Eat less, drink less and sleep more. 少吃少喝多睡覺。 Speak less and listen more. 少講多聽。 no less ... than 不下于,和…同樣 (He is no less clever than his brother. 他跟他兄弟一樣聰明)。 none the less = not the less = no less 仍舊,依然 (He has faults, but I like him none the less . = I like him none the less for his faults. = He has faults; none the less, I like him. 他有缺點(diǎn),但我仍舊喜歡他)。 not less than 不少于;至少 (Each party shall consist of not less than ten. 每組至少由十人組成)。 not less ... than 在…方面不下于 (The pupil was not less famous than his master. 學(xué)生同老師齊名)。 nothing less than 完全一樣 (He is nothing less than a thief. 他簡直是個賊). sth. less than 較…少幾分。 still [even, much] less 〔附在否定句后〕更不用說,何況 (We fear no death, still less difficulties. 我們死都不怕,何況困難)。 少掉;不足;減去。 a year less three days 一年差三天。 Five less three leaves two. 五減三剩二。 n. 較少,更小。 expect to see less of sb. 不想多見某人。 He is less of a fool than he looks 他不像看上去那樣笨。 He will not take less. 他不肯少拿〔堅持要那么多〕。 in less than a year 在不到一年的時間里。 L- of your nonsense. 少說廢話。 L- than twenty of them remain now. 他們剩下的現(xiàn)在還不到二十人。 any the less 更少一點(diǎn),更小一些 (He did not work any the less for his illness. 他雖有病在身,工作卻沒有少做)。 in less than no time 立刻,馬上。 nothing less than 同樣,正好是,恰恰是。
little n. 利特爾〔姓氏〕。 adj. (less 或 lesser; least; 〔俚、方〕 -tler; -tlest) ★ less, lesser, least 通例是與 more, most 相對應(yīng)的用語,表示數(shù)量、程度方面的小,亦可代替表示形體小的。 smaller, smallest. 又: little 除“小”的意義之外,還含有可憐、輕蔑等的感情。 習(xí)慣上只說 great and little, big and little, great and small, large and small, 不說 large and little, big and small. 1.(opp. big) 小,小的;年輕的,年紀(jì)小的,可愛的。 a little dog 小狗。 a little drop [a little glass] of whisky 一小滴[一小杯]威士忌酒。 the little Smiths 斯密士(家)的孩子們。 my little man [woman] 小弟弟[姑娘]。 a nice little thing 可愛的小家伙。 our little life 我輩短促的生命〔人生如寄之意〕。 2.(opp. great) 孩子似的,孩子氣的;瑣碎的,小的,吝嗇的,心地狹窄的。 L- things amuse little minds. 小孩歡喜小東西。 sb.'s little game 孩子似的〔可笑的〕舉動[手法]。 a little thing 小事。 a little mind [soul] 狹小的氣量。 3.〔表示數(shù)量等的否定用法,無冠詞〕 (opp. much) 只有少許〔一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)〕,沒有多少。 There is but little hope. 沒有多少希望。 I have little hope, if any. = I have little or no hope. 簡直沒有希望。 4.〔表示數(shù)量等的肯定用法,加冠詞〕 〔cf. a few〕 有一點(diǎn)。 There is a little hope. 有一點(diǎn)希望。 a little time [while] ago 片刻之前,剛才。 I will go a little way with you. 我陪你走一段路。 A little care would have prevented it. 稍微當(dāng)心一點(diǎn),這種事情就不會發(fā)生。 ★有時純屬禮貌上的形式,無表示微少的意義,只作some的代用語。 例: Let me give you a little mutton. 讓我給你(一點(diǎn))羊肉。 May I have a little money 給我(點(diǎn))錢好嗎? A little more [less] sugar, please. 請給我多[少]來一點(diǎn)糖。 only a little wine 只一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)酒。 I gave him the little money that I had. = I gave him what little money I had. 我把所有的一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)錢統(tǒng)統(tǒng)給了他。 but little 只一點(diǎn)點(diǎn) (I have but little money. 我只有一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)錢)。 go but a little way to 差得遠(yuǎn),不夠。 make little of 1. 不重視,輕視,不以為意。 2. 難了解,不領(lǐng)會。 little ones 孩子們〔加用 our, her等〕。 little or no 簡直沒有,幾乎沒有。 no little (=not a little)不少,很多。 very little 很少;一點(diǎn)也沒有 (He has very little sense. 他沒有常識。 He takes very little trouble about his work. 他做事一點(diǎn)也不用心)。 n. 1.〔肯定用法,表示程度、數(shù)量的〕小,少。 Every little helps. 〔諺語〕點(diǎn)點(diǎn)滴滴都起作用。 know a little of everything 什么都懂一點(diǎn)。 the little不重要[無足輕重]的人。 A little is better than none. 聊勝于無。 2.〔否定用法,無冠詞〕一點(diǎn)點(diǎn),少許,些許。 He has seen little of life. 他不懂世故。 L- remains to be said. 簡直沒有什么可以講了。 I got but [very, rather] little out of it. 我簡直沒有從這當(dāng)中得著什么。 a little at a time 每次少許。 after a little 過了一會兒。 by little and little =little by little 一點(diǎn)一點(diǎn)地,慢慢地,逐漸地。 for a little 一會兒,不久。 from little up 〔美國〕從幼年起。 in little 小規(guī)模的,小型的。 little or nothing =little if anything 簡直沒有,幾乎沒有。 not a little 不少,相當(dāng)多。 quite a little 〔美口〕大量,許多,豐富。 the little = what little 僅有的一點(diǎn) (He did the little that [what little] he could. 他盡到了他僅有的微力)。 adv. 1.〔肯定用法,加冠詞 a〕一點(diǎn),稍,略。 I speak English a little. 我稍能說一點(diǎn)英語。 Wait a little. 等一下。 He is a little better today. 他今天好一點(diǎn)了。 2.〔否定用法,無冠詞〕毫不,一點(diǎn)也不;幾乎不,簡直不〔主要和 know, imagine, dream, think, guess 等詞連用〕。 little known writers 不大出名的作家,無名作家。 He little knows. 他不知道。 little better [less] than 和…一樣,和…沒有差別,半斤八兩。 little more than 和…一樣[無差別]。 little short of 簡直是,幾乎。 set little by 輕視。 think little of 不重視,不在乎。