few

/fju/
/fju/
IPA guide

Few is a word for a small, non-specific number. A few is somewhere between a couple and a whole bunch.

When you say you're going to have a few fries, you'd better not eat the whole order — a few is a tiny number. It takes more than a few people to play basketball, though they could probably play two-on-two. This is one of many words for amounts that aren't specific, like a bunch, a load, or a bit. If someone refers to the few, they're talking about an elite, special group, like "The few. The proud. The Marines."

Definitions of few
  1. pronoun
    a small number of the persons or things being discussed, as in "A lot of people registered for the lecture, but few actually attended"
  2. noun
    a small number, as in "I'll take just a few" or "Only a lucky few win the lottery"
  3. adjective
    a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by `a'; a small but indefinite number
    “a few weeks ago”
    “a few more wagons than usual”
    “few roses were still blooming”
    “few women have led troops in battle”
    synonyms:
    a couple of, a few
    more than one but indefinitely small in number
    hardly a
    very few
    fewer
    (comparative of `few' used with count nouns) quantifier meaning a smaller number of
    some
    quantifier; used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    many
    a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by `as' or `too' or `so' or `that'; amounting to a large but indefinite number
    galore
    in great numbers
    many a, many an, many another
    each of a large indefinite number
    legion, numerous
    amounting to a large indefinite number
    some
    relatively many but unspecified in number
    umpteen, umteen
    innumerable but many
    more
    (comparative of `many' used with count nouns) quantifier meaning greater in number
    some
    quantifier; used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
    show more antonyms...
  4. noun
    a small elite group
    “it was designed for the discriminating few”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    elite, elite group
    a group or class of persons enjoying superior intellectual or social or economic status
Pronunciation
US
/fju/
UK
/fju/
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