det较小(少)(smaller in size，degree or amount) [little的比较级，接不可数名词]：have～butter/rain/money/time奶油/雨水/钱/时间较少;have～importance/value 重要性/价值较小;drink～coffee/wine 喝咖啡/酒较少;a number～than forty 比40小的一个数;The movie had～success than expected. 那部电影不如预想的成功。More haste， ～speed.(prov)欲速则不达。〖反〗 more，greater，larger;

less than 1)不到(足)：I bought it for～than ten dollars. 我买那件东西花了不到10美元。2)不太：The boys were～than happy about having a party. 那些男孩们不太乐意举行聚会。

→′lesser adj较小的;次要的;′lessen v;

pron较少量(small size，degree or amount)：He has～than I have. 他的比我的少。Some gave a little，others～，others still～. 有些人给得少，另外的人给得还少，还有一些人给得更少。He is～of a fool than she thought. 他并不像她想的那么傻。He ate～of the food. 他吃的食物较少。I finished～of the work than I'd hoped. 我完成的工作比希望完成的少。〖反〗more;

adv较(更)小(少)地，不那么(to a smaller degree;not so much)：～foolish/common/expensive/hungry/tired 不那么傻/常见/贵/饿/累;He is～fat than he was. 他比以前瘦了。do sth～easily/enthusiastically/impatiently/often/quickly 做某事不那么容易/热情/耐心/经常/快;speak～and listen more 少说多听;Eat～，drink～，and sleep more. 少吃，少喝，多睡。My head aches～now. 现在我的头不太疼了。It rains much～in the north than in the south. 北方的雨水比南方少得多。〖反〗more;

any (the) less 因此就较少(小，差)：I don't think of him any the～for that. 我并不因那事对他的评价就低些。

even/still/much less 更不用说：He can't run a hundred yards，even～a mile. 他连100码也跑不下来，更不用说一英里了。

less and less 越来越小(少)：As I spoke to her she became～and～angry. 我越和她谈她的气就越小。

(in) less than no time 很快地：We can be ready to go in～than no time. 我们很快就能准备好出发。It took mother～than no time to get dinner ready. 母亲很快就把晚餐准备好了。

no less than 多达：He walks no～than five miles to school. 他步行长达五英里去上学。

no less... than 同样：Mary is no～pretty than her sister. 玛莉和她姐姐一样漂亮。

none the less 仍然：Though he is old，he is none the～busy and active. 他虽然老了，但仍然忙碌活跃。

nobody less than/no less a man than 起码要有的人：Nobody～than a bishop will do for the wedding. 主持这个婚礼起码要一名主教。

nothing (more or) less than 完全是：It was nothing～than criminal. 那完全是犯罪。

the less... the (less...)越少……越：The～help you give them the more problems they have. 你给他们的帮助越少，他们的问题就越多。

prep 减除(minus)：The work will take a month～a few days. 这项工作需要20几天的时间。dividend paid～tax 扣除税以后的红利;

【用法】less与不可数名词连用，fewer与可数名词连用。但现在less与可数名词的复数连用日益增多，不过这一用法仍被认为是不正确的英语。