lesser

lesser
[[t]le̱sə(r)[/t]]
1) ADJ-COMPAR: ADJ n, the ADJ of n You use lesser in order to indicate that something is smaller in extent, degree, or amount than another thing that has been mentioned.

No medication works in isolation but is affected to a greater or lesser extent by many other factors...

The more obvious potential allies are Ireland, Denmark and, to a lesser degree, the Netherlands.

Ant:
ADV-COMPAR: ADV -ed
Lesser is also an adverb.

...lesser known works by famous artists.

2) ADJ-COMPAR: ADJ n, the ADJ of n You can use lesser to refer to something or someone that is less important than other things or people of the same type.

They pleaded guilty to lesser charges of criminal damage...

He was feared by other, lesser, men.

3) N-IN-NAMES Lesser is used in the names of some species of birds, animals, and plants.

...the lesser spotted woodpecker.

4) the lesser of two evilssee evil

English dictionary. 2008.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Lesser — (vom hebräischen Wort „Eliezer“ (אֱלִיעֶזֶר dt. Hilfe/Gerichtshof meines Gottes) ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Aleksander Lesser (1814–1884), polnischer Maler und Kritiker Anton Lesser (* 1952), englischer Schauspieler Axel Lesser (*… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lesser — is a surname, and may refer to* Gabriele Lesser, German journalist * George Lesser, American musician * J Lesser aka Lesser, IDM musician * Matt Lesser, Connecticut politician * Oskar Lesser, German astronomer * Rika Lesser, American poet * Anton …   Wikipedia

  • Lesser — Less er (l[e^]s [ e]r), a. [This word is formed by adding anew the compar. suffix er (in which r is from an original s) to less. See {Less}, a.] Less; smaller; inferior. [1913 Webster] God made . . . the lesser light to rule the night. Gen. i. 15 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lesser — less·er / le sər/ adj: of less size, quality, degree, or significance; specif: of lower criminal liability duress has been held a good defense to such lesser crimes as robbery, burglary and malicious mischief W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.… …   Law dictionary

  • lesser — (adj.) early 13c., a double comparative, from LESS (Cf. less) + ER (Cf. er) (2). Johnson calls it a barbarous corruption of less, formed by the vulgar from the habit of terminating comparatives in er. As an adverb from 1590s; now generally poetic …   Etymology dictionary

  • Lesser — Less er, adv. Less. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lesser — smaller, *less, fewer Antonyms: major …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • lesser — see less 3 …   Modern English usage

  • lesser — [adj] inferior, secondary a notch under*, bottom, bush, bush league*, dinky*, insignificant, less important, low, lower, minor, minorleague*, nether, second fiddle*, second string*, slighter, small, small fry*, small time*, subjacent, subordinate …   New thesaurus

  • lesser — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ not so great, large, or important as the other or the rest …   English terms dictionary

  • lesser — [les′ər] adj. [ LESS + ER] 1. alt. compar. of LITTLE 2. smaller, less, or less important adv. less …   English World dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”