1 few
Pronounced:
/ˈfju:/
Function:
adjectiveInflected forms:
few·er; few·estMeaning:
1 : not many ▪ Few people came. ▪ the next/last/past few weeks ▪ I know (very) few people in the class. ▪ Music is one of my (very) few pleasures. ▪ He caught fewer fish than the rest of us. ▪ There are fewer children at the school this year. ▪ Not many people came, but the few people who did enjoyed themselves. ▪ Few (if any) people understand me.
2 : not many but some —used in the phrase a few ▪ Only/Just a few people came. ▪ We went out for a few drinks after work. ▪ I know a few people in the class. ▪ The train leaves in a few minutes. ◊The phrases quite a few and, less commonly, not a few or (chiefly Brit) a good few all mean “fairly many.” ▪ Quite a few students from our high school go on to college.
2 : not many but some —used in the phrase a few ▪ Only/Just a few people came. ▪ We went out for a few drinks after work. ▪ I know a few people in the class. ▪ The train leaves in a few minutes. ◊The phrases quite a few and, less commonly, not a few or (chiefly Brit) a good few all mean “fairly many.” ▪ Quite a few students from our high school go on to college.
as few as
—used to suggest that a number or amount is surprisingly small ▪ The procedure is recommended by as few as [=only] one out of five doctors. ▪ As few as half the students passed the test.
few and far between
: not common or frequent ▪ Really good movies are few and far between. [=there are not many really good movies] ▪ Opportunities like that are few and far between.
no fewer than
: at least —used to suggest that a number or amount is surprisingly large ▪ No fewer than 1,000 people attended the meeting. ▪ No fewer than 80 percent of registered voters turned out for the primary.
of few words
◊A person of few words is someone who does not talk very much. ▪ a man/woman of few words