-less
-less (-les)
[Anglo-Saxon leás loose, false; akin to Old Saxon lōs loose, false, Dutch los loose, loos false, sly, German los loose, Icelandic lauss loose, vacant, Gothic laus empty, vain, and also to English loose, lose. r127. See Lose, and compare Loose, Leasing.]
A privative adjective suffix, denoting without, destitute of, not having; as witless, childless, fatherless.
Less (les) , conjunction
Unless. [Obsolete] — B. Jonson
Less , adjective
[Old English lesse, Anglo-Saxon lassa; akin to OFries. lēssa; a compar. from a lost positive form. Compare 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.
Thus in less [time] than a hundred years from the coming of Augustine, all England became Christian.
The substantive which less qualifies is often omitted; as, the purse contained less (money) than ten dollars. See Less, n.
Less , adverb
[Anglo-Saxon las. See Less, adj., and compare Lest.]
Not so much; in a smaller or lower degree; as, less bright or loud; less beautiful.
Less , noun
1.
A smaller portion or quantity.
The children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
2.
The inferior, younger, or smaller.
The less is blessed of the better.
Less , transitive verb
To make less; to lessen. [Obsolete] — Gower