fewer
adjective, pronoun (few, fewer, fewest)
Everyday
- Fewer means a smaller number of things: «fewer apples». tree →
- Few means not many; fewest means the smallest number of all. tree →
- No fewer than means as many as, or more than, a surprisingly large number. tree →
In the lessons
a smaller count than someone else's: «A has D fewer than B» is B − D; «How many fewer» asks for a difference; phrases: «fewer than», «no fewer than», «the fewest»
Examples
- Max has 2 fewer books than Lily. tree →
- Max has 2 books fewer than Lily. tree →
- How many fewer apples does Tom have than Ben? tree →
- There are fewer children at school when it snows. tree →
- Which team scored the fewest goals? tree →
- Fewer than 10 people came to the show. tree →
- Spiders have fewer legs than centipedes. tree →
- Eat fewer sweets and more fruit. tree →
- There were no fewer than thirty blossoms on its stem. tree →
Note
«A has D fewer than B» is B − D. «How many fewer» asks for the difference: subtract. Trap: if A's count is given, B is A + D. Use «fewer» for things you count (fewer apples) and «less» for amounts you do not count (less milk).
In Jewish tradition
Interpretation: Land is divided by lot, with more going to the larger tribes and less to the smaller. Tradition sees this as fair, and the land as a gift from God. In the primary lessons: a smaller count than someone else's: «A has D fewer than B» is B − D; «How many fewer» asks for a difference; phrases: «fewer than», «no fewer than», «the fewest»
Examples
- According to the lot shall their inheritance be divided between the more and the fewer.' (Torah NUM.26.56, JPS 1917) tree →
- To the more thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to the fewer thou shalt give the less inheritance; to each one according to those that were numbered of it shall its inheritance be given. (Torah NUM.26.54, JPS 1917) tree →
Note
«A has D fewer than B» is B − D. «How many fewer» asks for the difference: subtract. Trap: if A's count is given, B is A + D. Use «fewer» for things you count (fewer apples) and «less» for amounts you do not count (less milk).
On Mova
- Trees and pragmatics of «fewer» in the school dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- «fewer» in the school dictionary on Mova free.
- Trees and pragmatics of «fewer» in the Judaism dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- «fewer» in the Judaism dictionary on Mova free.
This page in Markdown → https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/fewer/