From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Less \Less\, v. t.
To make less; to lessen. [Obs.] --Gower.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Less \Less\ (l[e^]s), conj.
Unless. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Less \Less\, a. [OE. lesse, AS. l[=ae]ssa; akin to OFries.
l[=e]ssa; a compar. from a lost positive form. Cf. Lesser,
Lest, Least. Less has the sense of the comparative degree
of little.]
Smaller; not so large or great; not so much; shorter;
inferior; as, a less quantity or number; a horse of less size
or value; in less time than before.
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Note: The substantive which less qualifies is often omitted;
as, the purse contained less (money) than ten dollars.
See Less, n.
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Thus in less [time] than a hundred years from the
coming of Augustine, all England became
Christian. --E. A.
Freeman.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Less \Less\, adv. [AS. l[=ae]s. See Less, adj., and cf.
Lest.]
Not so much; in a smaller or lower degree; as, less bright or
loud; less beautiful.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Less \Less\, n.
1. A smaller portion or quantity.
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The children of Israel did so, and gathered, some
more, some less. --Ex. xvi. 17.
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2. The inferior, younger, or smaller.
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The less is blessed of the better. --Heb. vii. 7.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
-less \-less\ (-l[e^]s) suff. [AS. le['a]s loose, false; akin to
OS. l[=o]s loose, false, D. los loose, loos false, sly, G.
los loose, Icel. lauss loose, vacant, Goth. laus empty, vain,
and also to E. loose, lose. [root]127. See Lose, and cf.
Loose, Leasing.]
A privative adjective suffix, denoting without, destitute of,
not having; as witless, childless, fatherless.
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