few
( fewer comparative) ( fewest superlative )
1 det You use a few to indicate that you are talking about a small number of people or things. You can also say a very few.
DET pl-n
I gave a dinner party for a few close friends..., Here are a few more ideas to consider..., She was silent for a few seconds.
Few is also a pronoun., pron
Doctors work an average of 90 hours a week, while a few are on call for up to 120 hours..., A strict diet is appropriate for only a few.
Few is also a quantifier., quant QUANT of def-pl-n
There are many ways eggs can be prepared; here are a few of them., ...a little tea-party I'm giving for a few of the teachers.
2 adj You use few after adjectives and determiners to indicate that you are talking about a small number of things or people.
adj/det ADJ n
The past few weeks of her life had been the most pleasant she could remember..., ...in the last few chapters..., A train would pass through there every few minutes at that time of day.
3 det You use few to indicate that you are talking about a small number of people or things. You can use `so', `too' and `very' in front of few.
DET pl-n (Antonym: many)
She had few friends, and was generally not very happy..., Few members planned to vote for him..., Very few firms collect the tax, even when they're required to do so by law.
Few is also a pronoun., pron
The trouble is that few want to buy, despite the knockdown prices on offer., ...a true singing and songwriting talent that few suspected.
Few is also a quantifier., quant QUANT of def-pl-n
Few of the volunteers had military experience.
Few is also an adjective., adj
...spending her few waking hours in front of the TV..., His memories of his father are few.
4 n-sing The few means a small set of people considered as separate from the majority, especially because they share a particular opportunity or quality that the others do not have.
the N
This should not be an experience for the few., ...a system built on academic excellence for the few.
5 You use as few as before a number to suggest that it is surprisingly small.
♦
as few as phrase PHR num (emphasis)
One study showed that even as few as ten cigarettes a day can damage fertility...
6 Things that are few and far between are very rare or do not happen very often.
♦
few and far between phrase v-link PHR (emphasis)
(=rare)
In this economic climate new ideas were few and far between.
7 You use no fewer than to emphasize that a number is surprisingly large.
♦
no fewer than phrase PHR num (emphasis)
No fewer than thirteen foreign ministers attended the session.