different between less vs dess
less
English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /l?s/
- Rhymes: -?s
Etymology 1
Adverb From Middle English les, lesse, leasse, lasse, from Old English l?s (“less, lest”), from Proto-Germanic *laisiz (“smaller, lesser, fewer, lower”), from Proto-Indo-European *leys- (“to shrink, grow thin, become small, be gentle”). Cognate with Old Frisian l?s (“less”), Old Saxon l?s (“less”).
Determiner and preposition from Middle English lees, lesse, leasse, lasse, from Old English l?ssa (“less”), from Proto-Germanic *laisizan-, from Proto-Germanic *laisiz (“smaller, lesser, fewer, lower”) (see above). Cognate with Old Frisian lessa (“less”).
Verb from Middle English lessen, from the determiner.
Noun from Middle English lesse, from the determiner.
Adverb
less (negative comparative)
- comparative degree of little
- Used for forming negative comparatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the comparative by adding -er.
- 1957, Lester Del Rey, Rockets Through Space: The Story of Man's Preparations to Explore the Universe:
- This section of space is much less empty than that between the stars, […]
- 1957, Lester Del Rey, Rockets Through Space: The Story of Man's Preparations to Explore the Universe:
- To a smaller extent or degree.
Antonyms
- more
Translations
Determiner
less
- (Now chiefly of numbers or dimensions) comparative form of little: more little; of inferior size, degree or extent; smaller, lesser. [from 11th c.]
- 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, in Kupperman 1988, page 141:
- Those Rattels are somewhat like the chape of a Rapier, but lesse, which they take from the taile of a snake.
- 1711,The Spectator, no. 126:
- We are likewise ready to maintain with the hazard of all that is near and dear to us, that six is less than seven in all times and all places […] .
- 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, in Kupperman 1988, page 141:
- A smaller amount of; not as much. [from 12th c.]
- (sometimes proscribed) Fewer; a smaller number of. [from 14th c.]
- 1952, Thomas M Pryor, New York Times, 7 Sep 1952:
- This is not a happy situation as far as the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes is concerned because it means less jobs for the union's members here at home.
- 1999, George RR Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam 2011, page 555:
- No less than four standard-bearers went before them, carrying huge crimson banners emblazoned with the golden lion.
- 2003, Timandra Harkness, The Guardian, 16 Dec 2003:
- Although my hosts, G S Aviation, can teach you to fly in Wiltshire, an intensive week at their French airfield means less problems with the weather, cheap but good living, and complete removal from any distractions.
- 1952, Thomas M Pryor, New York Times, 7 Sep 1952:
Usage notes
Some[*] regard the use of the determiner less with countable quantities to be incorrect, stating that less should indicate only a reduction in uncountable quantity, or in size or significance, leaving fewer to indicate a smaller numerical quantity. For example, they suggest saying less sugar, but fewer people, not less people. Such a rule can allow distinctions such as:
- Their troubles are fewer than ours, meaning "Their troubles are not so numerous as ours."
- Their troubles are less than ours, meaning "Their troubles are not so great as ours."
Nevertheless, less has been widely understood and commonly used as a synonym for fewer since it first appeared in Old English as læs.
Antonyms
- more
Translations
See also
- fewer
- lesser
Preposition
less
- Minus; not including
Antonyms
- plus
Translations
Verb
less (third-person singular simple present lesses, present participle lessing, simple past and past participle lessed)
- (archaic) To make less; to lessen.
- 1386-90, Gower, Confessio Amantis
- What he will make lesse, he lesseth.
- c. 1650, Patrick Gordon of Ruthven, A short Abridgement of Britane's Distemper, from the yeares of God 1639 to 1649, printed 1844 for the Spalding Club
- Som of the wiser sort, divining upon this vission, attrebute to the pen-knyves the lenth of tym before this should com to pass, and it hath been observed by sindrie that the earles of that hous befor wer the richest in the kingdom, having treasure and store besyde them, but ever since the addittion of this so great a revenue, they have lessed the stock by heavie burdens of debt and ingagment.
- 1816, "Joseph Wharton" [obituary notice], Poulson's Advertiser, quoted in Genealogy of the Wharton Family of Philadelphia: 1664 to 1880, Anne Hollingsworth Wharton (1880)
- The protracted term of life, and the lingering illness through which this gentleman had passed, had neither impaired the original vigour of his mind, nor lessed the uncommon warmth of his affections.
- 1386-90, Gower, Confessio Amantis
Translations
Derived terms
Noun
less (uncountable)
- A smaller amount or quantity.
Etymology 2
From Middle English lesse, les, from Old English l?s, as in þ? l?s þe.
Conjunction
less
- (obsolete) unless
- 1614, Ben Jonson, Bartholomew Fair
- To tell you true, 'tis too good for you, 'less you had grace to follow it
- 1614, Ben Jonson, Bartholomew Fair
References
- less at OneLook Dictionary Search
- “less”, in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary, (Please provide a date or year).
- Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “less”, in Online Etymology Dictionary
Anagrams
- ELSS, SLEs
Hungarian
Etymology
les +? -j
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [?l???]
- Hyphenation: less
- Rhymes: -???
Verb
less
- second-person singular subjunctive present indefinite of les
Lombard
Etymology
From Latin elixus. Compare Italian lesso (“boiled meat”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?l?s?/
Noun
less m (invariable)
- boiled meat
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology 1
From Old Norse látast.
Verb
less (present tense less, past tense less)
- to pretend (to be)
Etymology 2
Verb
less
- imperative of lesse
References
- “less” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology 1
Verb
less
- imperative of lessa
Etymology 2
Verb
less
- (non-standard since 2012) past tense of låss
Polish
Etymology
From German Löss.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /l?s/
Noun
less m inan
- (geology) loess
Declension
Derived terms
- (adjective) lessowy
Further reading
- less in Wielki s?ownik j?zyka polskiego, Instytut J?zyka Polskiego PAN
- less in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Swedish
Etymology
Clipping of lessen, pronunciation spelling of ledsen (“sad”), alternatively interpreted as a pronunciation spelling of a clipping of ledsen.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?l?s?/
Adjective
less (comparative mer less, superlative mest less)
- fed up, done
Declension
Only used with the common gender singular, comparated periphrastically, only used predicatively.
less From the web:
- what lessons does scout learn
- what lesson did scrooge learn
- what less than 1/2
- what lesson is bsf on this week
- what lessons does scout learn in chapter 3
- what does scout learn
- what is the most important lessons scout learns
dess
English
Noun
dess (plural desses)
- Obsolete form of dais.
Anagrams
- ESDs, SDEs, SEDs, SSED, seds
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
From Old Norse þess, genitive of þat
Adverb
dess
- the, when used with two comparatives.
Derived terms
- dessuten
References
- “dess” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
- “dess_2” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).
Norwegian Nynorsk
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /d?s?/ (example of pronunciation)
Etymology 1
From Old Norse þess, masculine or neuter genitive singular of þat n.
Adverb
dess
- the (With a comparative or more and a verb phrase, establishes a parallel with one or more other such comparatives.)
Synonyms
- di
- jo
Determiner
dess
- (rare, literary); possessive form of det.
Pronoun
dess
- (rare, literary); possessive form of det.
Etymology 2
Alternative forms
- Dess (alternative capitalization)
Noun
dess m (definite singular dessen, indefinite plural dessar, definite plural dessane)
- (music) D-flat
Derived terms
- dess-dur m
References
- “dess” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Old Irish
Etymology
From Proto-Celtic *dexswos.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /d?es/
Adjective
dess
- right (side, as opposed to left)
- c. 845, St. Gall Glosses on Priscian, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1975, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. II, pp. 49–224, Sg. 17b2
- c. 845, St. Gall Glosses on Priscian, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1975, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. II, pp. 49–224, Sg. 17b2
- south
Inflection
Descendants
- Irish: deas
- Scottish Gaelic: deas
Mutation
Further reading
- Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “dess”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Swedish
Pronoun
dess
- (possessive) its (3rd person singular inanimate common and neuter genitive)
- At a specific given timen
Declension
Noun
dess ?
- (music) D-flat
Anagrams
- seds
dess From the web:
- what dessert should i make
- what dessert goes with chili
- what dessert to serve with lasagna
- what dessert am i
- what desserts are gluten free
- what desserts can diabetics eat
- what dessert goes with pizza
- what dessert goes with spaghetti