few

/fju/

/fju/

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

   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
4. noun

   a small elite group
   “it was designed for the discriminating few”

   type of:

   elite, elite group

   a group or class of persons enjoying superior intellectual or social or economic status