few
Meaning
-
- An indefinite, but usually small, number of.
- Not many; a small (in comparison with another number stated or implied) but somewhat indefinite number of.
- Obscuring one to two oktas (eighths) of the sky.
- (US?) Having a 10 percent chance of measurable precipitation (0.01 inch); used interchangeably with isolated.
Synonyms
not many
a little bit
not much
small amount
small quantity
be short
each one
hardly any
very few
numerical inferiority
a large number of
measured off
tolerable number
couple of
little bit
nothing much
number of
Frequency
Pronounced as (IPA)
/fjuː/
Etymology
From Middle English fewe, from Old English fēaw (“few”), from Proto-West Germanic *fau, from Proto-Germanic *fawaz (“few”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂w- (“few, small”). Cognate with Old Saxon fā (“few”), Old High German fao, fō (“few, little”), Old Norse fár (“few”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍃 (faus, “few”). Also related with Latin paucus (“little, few”) and pauper (“poor”), from which latter English poor and pauper; see these.
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Notes