As of 2019, Starbucks opens a new store every 15 hours in China. The coffee chain has grown by 700% over the past decade.
LESS
less
(adjective) (comparative of âlittleâ usually used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning not as great in amount or degree; âof less importanceâ; âless time to spend with the familyâ; âa shower uses less waterâ; âless than three years oldâ
less
(adjective) (nonstandard in some uses but often idiomatic with measure phrases) fewer; âless than three weeksâ; âno less than 50 people attendedâ; âin 25 words or lessâ
less
(adjective) (usually preceded by ânoâ) lower in quality; âno less than perfectâ
less, to a lesser extent
(adverb) used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs; âless interestingâ; âless expensiveâ; âless quicklyâ
less
(adverb) comparative of little; âshe walks less than she shouldâ; âhe works less these daysâ
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology 1
Adverb
less (not comparable)
To a smaller extent or degree.
Antonyms
• more
Determiner
less
(Now chiefly of numbers or dimensions) comparative form of little; of inferior size, degree or extent; smaller, lesser. [from 11th c.]
A smaller amount of; not as much. [from 12th c.]
(sometimes proscribed) Fewer; a smaller number of. [from 14th c.]
Antonyms
• more
Preposition
less
Minus; not including
Antonyms
• plus
Verb
less (third-person singular simple present lesses, present participle lessing, simple past and past participle lessed)
(archaic) To make less; to lessen.
Noun
less (uncountable)
A smaller amount or quantity.
Etymology 2
Conjunction
less
(obsolete) unless
Anagrams
• ELSS, SLEs
Source: Wiktionary
-less. Etym: [AS. leĂĄs loose, false; akin to OS. l loose, false, D. los loose, loos false, sly, G. los loose, Icel. lauss loose, vacant, Goth. laus empty, vain, and also to E. loose, lose. sq. root127. See Lose, and cf. Loose, Leasing.]
Definition: A privative adjective suffix, denoting without, destitute of, not having; as witless, childless, fatherless.
Less (lĂȘs), conj.
Definition: Unless. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Less, a. Etym: [OE. lesse, AS. lĂŠssa; akin to OFries. lessa; a compar. from a lost positive form. Cf. Lesser, Lest, Least. Less has the sense of the comparative degree of little.]
Definition: Smaller; not so large or great; not so much; shorter; inferior; as, a less quantity or number; a horse of less size or value; in less time than before.
Note: The substantive which less qualifies is often omitted; as, the purse contained less (money) than ten dollars. See Less, n. Thus in less [time] than a hundred years from the coming of Augustine, all England became Christian. E. A. Freeman.
Less, adv. Etym: [AS. l. See Less, adj., and cf. Lest.]
Definition: Not so much; in a smaller or lower degree; as, less bright or loud; less beautiful.
Less, n.
1. A smaller portion or quantity. The children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. Ex. xvi. 17.
2. The inferior, younger, or smaller. The less is blessed of the better. Heb. vii. 7.
Less, v. t.
Definition: To make less; to lessen. [Obs.] Gower.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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28 April 2024
POLYGENIC
(adjective) of or relating to an inheritable character that is controlled by several genes at once; of or related to or determined by polygenes
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