Forms: 1 inflected adj. lǽssa (lǽsse fem. and neut.), Northumb. léassa, uninflected lǽs, 2–5 lasse, 2–7 les, 3–7 lesse, (4 lass, 4, 6 Sc. lese), 4–5 las, 4– less. [(1) The OE. lǽs adv. (occas. used quasi-sb. and as uninflected adj.) corresponds to OFris. lês:—OTeut. type *laisiz, f. *laiso- (not elsewhere found with the sense ‘small’) + -iz comparative suffix (see -ER3), which in OE. disappears by phonetic law, as in BET, LENG advs. (2) The OE. lǽssa adj. corresponds to OFris. lêssa:—OTeut. type *laisizon-, f. *laisiz: see above, and cf. -ER3 A. The disappearance of the middle vowel was presumably prior to the WGer. change of z into r; the OFris. lêssera is doubtless, like Eng. LESSER, a new formation.
The OTeut. type *laiso-, pre-Teut. *loiso-, appears to be cogn. w. Lith. lēsa-s:—*leiso-, small. Whether there is any connection with *leid-, *līd- in Goth. leitils little is very doubtful. Cf. the alleged Crim-Gothic lista ‘parum.’]
A. adj. Used as the comparative of LITTLE.
I. In concord with sb. expressed or understood.
1. Of not so great size, extent or degree (as something mentioned or implied); of inferior dimensions, bulk, duration, etc.; smaller. Opposed (in mod. Eng.) to greater. Obs. with reference to material dimensions (superseded by smaller); still current with reference to number, degree, etc.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. i. 16. Þæt mare leoht to þæs dæʓes lihtinge and þæt læsse leoht to þære nihte lihtinge.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 179. Þe more fishes in þe se eten þe lasse.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 11689. Þe bissop … prechede hom þat hii adde of deþ þe lasse fere.
a. 1300[?]. Shires, etc. Eng., in O. E. Misc., 145. On engle londe syndon two and þrytti schire, summe more and summe lasse.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 436 (Gött.). Summe of less [v.rr. lesse, lasse] and sum of more prise.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., III. iv. (1495), 51. The soule is noughte more in a more body, nother lasse in a lasse body.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 5961. The light wax las.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., I. iv. 10 (Harl. MS.). Hit is wreten that of too Evelis þe lasse Evill is to be chosyn.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. xiv. 74. Herfore it is the lasse merveil.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 49. Akoniton … hath leaves like the Cucumber, but somewhat more lesse and rough.
1598. Yong, Diana, III. 70. Other kindes of lesse trees … twyning about the greater.
1610. Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 335. Teach me how To name the bigger Light, and how the lesse That burne by day, and night.
1673. Ray, Journey Low C., 38. Shags … are very like to Cormorants, only less.
1692. R. L’Estrange, Fables, xix. (1708), 26. Rather then bear a Less Misfortune to Hazzard a Greater.
1718. Prior, Henry & Emma, 430. Fine by degrees and beautifully less.
1757. Jos. Harris, Coins, 41. Every one will see and understand that 19 is less than 20.
1794. S. Williams, Vermont, 83. The female is less than the male.
1816. Byron, Prisoner Chillon, viii. And then the sighs he would suppress … grew less and less.
1871. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 1. The peculiarities of his individual genius changed the mind and spiritual conformation of France, and in a less degree, of the whole of the West.
b. Of smaller quantity or amount; not so much. Opposed to more.
c. 1314. Guy Warw. (A.), 1697. In lasse while þan þat was Might falle mani wonder cas.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xl. (Ninian), 443. Þan to þe catel þai tuk les kepe.
1484. Caxton, Fables of Auian, xxv. Somtyme the children whiche ben preysed and loued done lesse good than they whiche ben despreysed and hated.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., IV. iv. 34. I owe him little Dutie, and lesse Loue. Ibid. (1596), 2 Hen. IV., IV. v. 7. Lesse noyse, lesse noyse.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. i. § 44. The Queen knowing it less difficulty and danger to keep him, then to cast him out of her Dominions.
1664. J. Webb, Stone-Heng (1725), 19. We cannot yet give Credit, and less shall, to one Word he saith.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 854. More glorie will be wonn, Or less be lost.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., V. 72. With less Trouble and Charge.
1853. Brimley, Ess., Bleak House, 285. We should then have less crowd and no story.
1853. Gladstone, Sp., 18 April, Financ. Statem. (1863), 5. The estimate for the present year cannot, I fear, be expected to be much less, if at all less, than 530,000l.
c. A smaller number of; fewer. This originates from the OE. construction of lǽs adv. (quasi-sb.) with a partitive genitive. Now regarded as incorrect.
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxv. § 5 [6]. Swa mid læs worda swa mid ma, swæðer we hit ʓereccan maʓon.
1481. Caxton, Godfrey, cl. 222. By cause he had so grete plente of men of hys owne countre, he called the fewer and lasse to counseyll of the noble men of the Cyte.
1579. Lyly, Euphues, To Gentl. Oxf. (Arb.), 208. I thinke there are few Vniuersities that haue lesse faultes than Oxford, many that haue more.
2. Of lower station, condition or rank; inferior. Obs. exc. in phrases like no less a person than.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xi. 11. Seðe uutedlice læssa [Rushw. lessa] is in ric heofna mara is of ðæm.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 390. Al þat is & al þat wes is wurse þenne he [God] and lesse.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 12166. Noght yee ne vnderstod for-þi Less i wat er yee þan i.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 19. Þis secounde feste was algatis lasse.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2948. Ladys and oþer les wemen.
1444. Rolls of Parlt., V. 113/1. By colour of tenure of lasse Tenentz.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 14. To poure gentilmen, or to other of lasse degre.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, I. xx. 24. ‘As ofte tymes as I was amonge men, I come a lasse man,’ þat is to say lesse holy.
1609. Bible (Douay), Hos., Comm. Foure are called the greater prophetes, and twelve the lesse.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 40. Cotzensis and Moses Maimonides besides others of a less account.
1869. Tennyson, Coming of Arthur, 12. And so there grew great tracts of wilderness, Wherein the beast was ever more and more, But man was less and less, till Arthur came.
† b. Of action: Not so great, worthy or excellent. Obs. rare–1.
1685. Earl Halifax, On Death Chas. II., 104. ’Tis less to conquer, than to make Wars cease.
† c. Less of, in: inferior in point of. Obs.
1307. Elegy Edw. I., x. God lete him ner be worse man Then is fader, ne lasse of myht.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 598. Þe lasse in werke to take more [is] able.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, ii. (Paulus), 49. Paule wes lese of dingnite.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Esdras v. 55. Ye are lesse of stature, then those that were before you.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. iii. 15. And hope to ioy, is little lesse in ioy, Then hope enioy’d. Ibid. (1594), Rich. III., IV. iv. 299. A Grandams name is little lesse in loue, Then is the doting Title of a Mother.
1654. Earl Monm., trans. Bentivoglio’s Warrs Flanders, 32. By how much the Regent went every day less in her authority.
3. Used spec. to characterize the smaller, inferior, or (after Latin use) younger, of two persons or things of the same name; = L. minor. (Cf. lesser.) † Less Britain, † Britain the less: Brittany. Obs. exc. in the designation James the Less, and occasional imitations of this.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Mark xv. 40. Ðæs iacobes leasse [Jacobi minoris].
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2120. To þe lasse brutaine þer ne come aliue none.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13299. Þe less jam and sant Thomas.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxv. 259. Ynde the lesse.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 145. Asia the lesse towcheth in the este parte Capadocy.
c. 1550. Lloyd, Treas. Health (1585), S ij. With .ix graines of leasse spurge or of Pioni.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., Annot., Betwixt mi and fa is not a full halfe note, but is lesse then halfe a note by a comma: and therefore called the lesse halfe note.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. ii. IV. Columnes, 490. The Tyrant of lesse-Asia.
1613. Zouch, Dove, 39. Allan, the Earle of lesse Brittain.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., 344. Barons with the rest vpward we call the Greater Nobilitie, the others beneath them the Lesse Nobilitie.
1843. Macaulay, Mme. D’Arblay, Ess. 1865, III. 310. Dr. Franklin, not, as some have dreamed, the great Pennsylvanian Dr. Franklin,… but Dr. Franklin the less.
† b. The less world = MICROCOSM.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 552. Man es clepid þe lesse werld.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VIII. i. (1495), 293. Man is callyd the lasse worlde, for he shewyth in hymselfe lyknesse of all the worlde.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 88. It holdys yn him alle þe elymentz, and it is callyd þe lesse world … þe Eye [i.e., egg] of Philosophers.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 1. Lyke as the great worlde was made perfecte in vij dayes, so ye lesse worlde, that is man, is made … perfecte by grace in these vij spirituall dayes.
† c. Less age (Sc.): minority.
1524. Arran, in St. Papers Hen. VIII., IV. 158. Not as ane pupile in juvente and lese aige, bot as ane maist noble excellent Prince of perfit mature aige.
1531. Hen. VIII., ibid. 590. Laying apart thexcuses of mynorite and les age.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. (1846), I. 403. Money, cunȝeit in our Soveraneis less age.
1609. Skene, Reg. Majest., II. lxx. § 2. Gif she being of les age, falles in the warde of her over-lord.
4. Preceding († formerly also, following) a numeral or other quantitative expression, used to denote that the number or quantity indicated is to be subtracted from a larger one mentioned or implied; = MINUS. Also transf., used (like minus) for ‘not including,’ ‘except.’
O. E. Chron., an. 641 (Laud MS.). He rixode twa læs .xxx. ʓeara.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., xlix. (Z.), 287. Man cweð eac undeuiginti an læs twentiʓ, duodeuiginti twam læs twentiʓ, duodetriginta twam læs þrittiʓ.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2168. Tuelue scor o yeires bot an lesse [Trin. saue oon las].
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 2508. Tvelmoneth þre woukes las.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. lxiii. 84. This siege endured a long season, the space of a xi. wekes, thre dayes lesse.
1695. Alingham, Geom. Epit., 1. a–b is thus read a less b, or the remainder after b is taken from a.
1880. Goldw. Smith, in Atlantic Monthly, 213. The foundations of natural theology, less the mere name of Deity.
¶ 5. Used peculiarly by Shaks. with words expressing or implying a negative, where the sense requires ‘more.’ Cf. LESS adv.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., III. ii. 57. I ne’re heard yet, That any of these bolder Vices wanted Lesse Impudence to gaine-say what they did, Then to performe it first. Ibid., Cymb., I. iv. 23. To fortifie her iudgement, which else an easie battery might lay flat, for taking a Begger without lesse quality.
II. absol. (quasi-sb.)
From the point of view of the modern language, these substantival uses may be referred to the adj., though in OE. some of them originated from the adv., and the indeclinable form is therefore used.
6. The less: that which is smaller (of two things compared). Also of persons: He who is or they who are less.
1413. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton), V. i. (1859), 70. Nedes must the lesse be conteyned within the more.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., III. i. 372. The haire that couers the wit, is more then the wit; for the greater hides the lesse.
1594. Daniel, Cleopatra, III. Wks. (Grosart), III. 59. Nemesis … Who … Doth raze the great, and raise the lesse.
1611. Bible, Heb. vii. 7. The lesse is blessed of the better.
1865. J. H. Newman, Gerontius, § 3. For spirits and men by different standards mete The less and greater in the flow of time.
7. A less amount, quantity or number (than one that is specified or implied). Less than no time: a jocular hyperbole for an exceedingly short time.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Exod. xvi. 17. And Israhela bearn dydon swa and gaderodon sum mare sum læsse.
c. 1050. Byrhtferth’s Handboc, in Anglia (1885), VIII. 304. ʓif þær beo læs þon seofon.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 6. Sum … mei … paie god mid lesse.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 403. Ȝif þey wil þey mowe have lasse in þe somer tyme.
a. 1500. Chaucer’s Dreme, 1869. Which herbe in lesse than halfe an houre Gan over all knit.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xv. 12. Sum askis far less than he servis.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., I. i. 111. Lesse then a pound shall serue me for carrying your Letter.
1700. Dryden, Pal. & Arc., III. 841. Though less and less of Emily he saw.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, IV. vii. ¶ 11. Trust me for sinking, burning, and destroying him in less than no time.
1844. Stanley, Arnold (1858), I. v. 208. Our little may be more inexcusable than their less was in them.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., cxi. Not being less but more than all The gentleness he seem’d to be.
1853. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk. (1876), 192. The Turks of this day are still in the less than infancy of art.
1877. Spurgeon, Serm., XXIII. 588. The less said about her the better.
1879. Whitney, Sanskrit Gram., 236. Less than thirty roots form their present-system.
1885. O. W. Holmes, Emerson, i. 38. Even so late as less than half a century ago.
b. Qualified adverbially by far, little, much, nothing, something, or phrase denoting quantity. Also no less = ‘nothing less’; for examples see NO.
It is often impossible to say whether in the combinations nothing less, something less, the former word is used advb. or whether it is an indefinite pronoun in apposition with less used absol. The combination nothing less than has two quite contrary senses; in the use here treated it means ‘quite equal to the same thing as’; for the opposite meaning see B. 3.
c. 1200. Vices & Virtues (1888), 45. Ȝif he arrer dede litel te gode, ðar after he doð michele lasse.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 174. For ten mark men solde a litille bulchyn, Litille lesse men told a bouke of a moutoun.
1387. Trevisa, trans. Higden (Rolls), IV. 251. Iohn hadde tweie dayes lasse in his moder wombe.
1593. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. v. 100. But yet methinkes, my Fathers execution Was nothing lesse then bloody Tyranny.
† c. O or of less than, in less than: unless. Obs. (For the fuller treatment of these phrases see UNLESS.)
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxv. 118. Na man schall come nere him but lordes, o less þan he call any man till him.
1414. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 22/2. [That] no Lawe be made of lasse than they yaf therto their assent.
1461. Paston Lett., II. 46. Beware that ye aventure not your person … by the See, till ye haue oder word from us, in less than your person cannot be sure there as ye ar.
B. adv.
1. To a less or smaller extent; in a lower degree; to an inferior extent, amount, etc. Often in neg. phr., as none the less, no less, not the less: see NO, NOT, etc.; also NATHELESS, NEVERTHELESS, etc.
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., V. xii[i]. (1890), 424. Oðer [dæl] wes nohte þon læs unaarefndlice cele hæʓles & snawes.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 205/176. Þe lasse he was of heom a-drad.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11207. Ihesu crist hir barn sco bar, Hir child, and maiden neuer less [Gött. neuer þe lesse].
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pard. Prol. & T., 274. If that a prince use hasardrie … He is … Holde the lasse in reputacioun.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 242. The natural hette atte myde-day is lasse stronge.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 102. No goode woman shulde … sette the lasse bi hym for ani sikenesse that God sendithe.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 322. The mair he loutit for my luf, the les of him I rakit.
1541. Becon, News out of Heaven, Prol. (1542), A v b. His worde is, that they shoulde sanctify the Sabboth-day…. But what do they lesse?
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 5. He fand heit and calde lesse vehement in Scotlande than in france.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 478. Less faire, Less winning soft, less amiablie milde, Then that smooth watry image.
1701. De Foe, True-born Eng., 147. None talk on’t more, or understand it less.
1798. Coleridge, Anc. Mar., VI. xvii. The rock shone bright, the kirk no less.
1808. Scott, Marm., I. ii. As the fading ray Less bright and less was flung.
b. Qualifying an adj. or ppl. adj. used attrib.: often hyphened.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. i. 49. The enuy of lesse happier Lands.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., Apol., 538. He is to Serve God though in that less-seemly or less-perfect Habit.
a. 1674. Milton (title), A Brief History of Moscovia: and of other less-known Countries. London … 1682.
1689. Burnet, Tracts, I. 54. If I were writing to a less knowing Man than yourself.
1711. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), II. 255. There are other over-officious and less-suspected hands.
1818. Cobbett, Pol. Reg., XXXIII. 108. In the less-enslaved cities and towns.
1866. M. Arnold, Thyrsis, xv. The less practised eye of sanguine youth.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 399. Some other less-known members of the Socratic circle.
1886. W. J. Tucker, E. Europe, 231. Less costly benefits and emoluments, and less extended patronage.
2. Much less, still less († formerly also simply less): used to characterize a statement or suggestion as still more unacceptable than one that has been already denied.
1632. B. Jonson, Magn. Lady, III. iii. You never fought with any, lesse, slew any.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, G iv b. Dimensions and Formes, which are not to be mended, lesse contradicted.
1671. Milton, P. R., III. 236. The world thou hast not seen, much less her glory.
1718. Hickes & Nelson, J. Kettlewell, App. 55. It is not easily to be expected that any should contradict those Inclinations, less that the Generality should do so.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, II. xv. It had no power to help itself,… much less help them.
1721. Ramsay, Content, 250. Mere empty spectres … Which merit not your notice, less your care.
Mod. I do not even suggest that he is negligent, still less [or much less] that he is dishonest.
3. † Nothing less: least of all things, anything rather (than the thing in question) (obs.). Nothing less than: far from being, anything rather than; = F. rien moins que. (Now rare.)
1548. Gest, Pr. Masse, I viij b. Therfore the before mencioned boke is nothinge lesse then canonical.
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop., I. (1895), 29. He retorned again into hys countreye, nothynge lesse then lokyd for.
1567. Harman, Caveat (1869), 31. Hee … saythe that he woulde be glad to take payne for his lyuinge, althoughe he meaneth nothinge lesse.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. ii. 34. Bush. ’Tis nothing but conceit (my gracious Lady). Qu. ’Tis nothing lesse.
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus’ Ann., XII. x. (1622), 169. The Barbarous people know nothing lesse then engines and subtile deuises in besieging and assayling of fortresses.
1656. R. Robinson, Christ all, 158. Pretending themselves to be the companions of Christ, when indeed they are nothing less.
1827. Scott, Napoleon, V. 77. The English … who, trusting to the laws of good faith hitherto observed by all civilised nations, expected nothing less than an attack upon their personal freedom.
4. For OE. þý lǽs þe, early ME. þi les þe, see LEST conj.
† C. conj. Unless. In early use less than, less that, Sc. less nor. Obs.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 137. Lasse than a kynge … dred god … he shall … fall … in a shorte tyme.
1442. Rolls of Parlt., V. 60/2. Lesse þan … [þei] leve a sufficiaunt man … in their stede.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, III. 304. That thai sall do him nocht … less it be on thaim socht.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. Prol. 233. Les than wyse autouris lene [i.e., lie].
1553. Kennedy, Compend. Tractive, in Wodrow Soc. Misc. (1844), 128. Les nor this medicyne be applyit dewlie, it is not proffitable.
1567. Satir. Poems Reform., vii. 28. Les schamefullie thair office thay abuse.
1601. B. Jonson, Poetaster, Dial. Hor. & Trebatius, Less learn’d Trebativs censure disagree.
1632. Milton, Penseroso, 56. And the mute Silence hist along, ’Less Philomel will daign a Song.
1640. Glapthorne, Wit in Constable, III. Wks. 1874, I. 206. For Musicke, lesse the Virginalls, I never car’d for any.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), II. 7. I am sorry … my nothings should be talked of, less it should intimate that other people are less ostentatious.
