Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Less?

\-less\ (-l[e^]s). [AS. le['a]s loose, false; akin to OS. l[=o]s 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. [root]127. See {Lose}, and cf. {Loose}, {Leasing}.] A privative adjective suffix, denoting without, destitute of, not having; as witless, childless, fatherless.
\Less\ (l[e^]s), conj. Unless. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.
\Less\, a. [OE. lesse, AS. l[=ae]ssa; akin to OFries. l[=e]ssa; a compar. from a lost positive form. Cf. {Lesser}, {Lest}, {Least}. Less has the sense of the comparative degree of little.] 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. [AS. l[=ae]s. See {Less}, adj., and cf. {Lest}.] 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. To make less; to lessen. [Obs.] --Gower.