less

adj.较少的（little的比较级）；较小的；较次的，较劣的；较不重要的

adv.较少地，较小地

prep.减去；少掉；不足

n.较少，较小

det.

pron.

1. （与不可数名词连用）较少的，更少的
   used with uncountable nouns to mean ‘a smaller amount of’
   1. less butter/time/importance
      较少的黄油 / 时间；次要
   2. He was advised to smoke fewer cigarettes and drink less beer.
      有人劝他少抽烟、少喝啤酒。
   3. We have less to worry about now.
      现在我们要担忧的事少一些了。
   4. It is less of a problem than I'd expected.
      问题不像我预料的那么大。
   5. We'll be there in less than no time (= very soon) .
      我们马上就到。
   6. The victory was nothing less than a miracle.
      这场胜利是个不折不扣的奇迹。

adv.

1. 较少；较小；更少；更小；没那么多；少
   to a smaller degree; not so much
   1. less expensive/likely/intelligent
      价钱较便宜；可能性较小；智力较差
   2. less often/enthusiastically
      不那么经常 / 热情
   3. I read much less now than I used to.
      我现在看的书比过去少得多。
   4. The receptionist was less than (= not at all) helpful.
      那接待员一点忙都不帮。
   5. 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。
   6. 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。

prep.

1. 减去；扣除
   used before a particular amount that must be taken away from the amount just mentioned
   1. a monthly salary of $2 000 less tax and insurance
      月薪2 000元，从中扣除税款和保险费

adv. 较少地；较小地；更小地 adj. 较少的；较小的 prep. 减去 n. 较少；较小 n. (Less)人名；(德、意、匈、芬)莱斯

1. They seem less tense, more even-tempered.
   他们看起来不那么紧张，更加平和了。
2. The marriage had lasted for less than two years
   这段婚姻维持了不到两年。
3. People should eat less fat to reduce the risk of heart disease.
   人们应该减少脂肪摄入，以降低患心脏病的危险。
4. Children of very low ability should not be permitted to pay less attention to the sciences.
   不应让能力非常差的孩子放松对理科课程的学习。
5. Motorways actually cover less than 0.1 percent of the countryside
   高速公路的实际覆盖面积还不到农村地区的0.1%。
6. Less than a half hour later he returned upstairs.
   不到半个小时，他又跑上楼来。
7. I often think about those less fortunate than me
   我经常想到那些没我这么幸运的人。
8. Other amenities, less commonly available, include a library and exercise room
   还有一些不太常有的设施，包括图书馆和健身房。
9. Poverty is less of a problem now than it used to be.
   贫穷问题已较过去有所缓解。
10. At first sight it looked less like a capital city than a mining camp
    乍看上去，它不像是首府，更像是矿工村。
11. Trades union leadership in those days was less a career than a vocation.
    那时候的工会领导与其说是一份职业，倒不如说是一种使命。
12. We are eating more and exercising less
    我们吃得多了，锻炼却少了。
13. I see less of any of my friends than I used to.
    我见所有朋友都比以前少了。
14. I never talked about it, still less about her
    我从来没说起过这事，更没有提起过她。
15. The boy didn't have a girlfriend, much less a wife.
    这小伙子连女朋友都没有，更不用提老婆了。
16. The couple seem to spend less and less time together
    两口子在一起的时间似乎越来越少。
17. She sounded less and less eager to return to Ireland
    听她话音，她回爱尔兰的热情似乎日渐消退。
18. Many basic goods are now rationed. Less and less is available.
    很多基本商品现在都要定量供给。能买到的东西越来越少。
19. Her greeting was less than enthusiastic
    她的问候一点都不热情。
20. Her advice has frequently been less than wholly helpful.
    她的建议往往毫无帮助。
21. He had returned to England in an aircraft carrier no less
    他竟然坐航空母舰回的英格兰。
22. Who wrote the screenplay from Patricia Highsmith's book? Raymond Chandler, no less.
    帕特里夏·海史密斯那本书是谁改编成剧本的？雷蒙德·钱德勒呀，厉害。
23. He is lined up for no less than four US television interviews.
    多达4家美国电视媒体排期邀请他上节目接受采访。
24. I was meeting these chaps who were mostly more or less my own age.
    我见到了这帮小伙子，他们多数和我年龄相仿。
25. I have spent less time on shore than most men
    我在岸上生活的时间比大多数人都要少。
26. It more or less gets the thumbs up from everyone.
    它多多少少得到了每个人的支持。
27. I feel more compassion and less anger than I used to.
    我觉得自己比过去多了些同情，少了些怒气。