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April 22, 2016 Word of the Day

few /ˈfjuː/ pronoun
few
/ˈfjuː/
pronoun
Hands with a few eggs in each
Hands with a few eggs in each
Definition of FEW

1 : not many people or things

  • (Very) Few came.

  • His stories may be entertaining, but few (if any) are true. = They may be entertaining, but few (if any) of his stories are true.

  • There are many students in the class, but I know very few (of them).

  • “Never…was so much owed by so many to so few.” Sir Winston Churchill, Speech (August, 1940)

2 : some people or things — used in the phrase a few

  • A few came.

  • I bought several magazines and I read a few (of them).

  • Unfortunately, a few of the people who came failed to enjoy themselves.

◊ The phrases quite a few and, less commonly, not a few or (chiefly Brit) a good few all mean “fairly many.”

  • Not all our students go on to college, but quite a few (of them) do. [=a large number of our students do]

3 : a small number of people or things that are chosen or regarded as special or unusual in some way

  • A select few will receive advance tickets.

  • A sophisticated movie like this only appeals to the discriminating few.

have a few informal or have a few too many

: to have too many alcoholic drinks

  • We could tell from his slurred speech that he'd had a few.

  • It looks like she had a few too many.

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