less

英[les] 美[lɛs]
  • 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

中文词源


less 较少的

来自Proto-Germanic*leis-izo,更小,*leis,小的,-izo,比较级后缀。用于little的比较级形式。

英文词源


less
less: [OE] In origin, less is a comparative form. It goes back ultimately to Indo-European *loiso- ‘small’, which in prehistoric Germanic had the comparative suffix added to it to produce *laisiz – whence English less. It is not found in any of the other modern Germanic languages.
=> least
less
Old English læs (adv.), læssa (adj.), comparative of læs "small;" from Proto-Germanic *lais-izo "smaller" (cognates: Old Saxon, Old Frisian les "less;" Middle Dutch lise "soft, gentle," German leise "soft"), from PIE root *leis- (2) "small" (cognates: Lithuanian liesas "thin"). Formerly also "younger," as a translation of Latin minor, a sense now obsolete except in James the Less. Used as a comparative of little, but not related to it. The noun is Old English læsse.

双语例句


1. The affixes " un - " and " - less " are often used make negative words, such as unhappy or careless.
词缀un - 和 -less 常用来构成否定词, 如unhappy和careless.

来自《简明英汉词典》

2. These files have been zipped up to take up less disk space.
这些文档已经进行了压缩,以节省磁盘空间。

来自柯林斯例句

3. 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。

来自柯林斯例句

4. 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。

来自柯林斯例句

5. His team-mates opened hotel windows, shouting "Jump!" and somewhat less printable banter.
他的队友打开了酒店的窗户,大叫着“跳!”,还开了一些上不了台面的玩笑。

来自柯林斯例句