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Dictionary.com
ออกเสียง Least = ‘LEEST’
ออกเสียง less = ‘LES’
ออกเสียง lest = ‘LEST’
ออกเสียง fewer = ‘FYOO-er’
Dictionary of Problem Words and Expression
Least & less & lest & fewer
Least is the superlative degree of little;
less is the comparative:
“Toby has less money than I have; in fact, she has the least money of any girl in our group,”
Both least and less always refer to amount, size, or importance:
“less value.” “least important,” “least influence,” “less distance.”
(For the distinctions between less and fewer see FEWER)
“At least” and “not in the least” are frequently mere filler in conversation and are overworked phrases.
Neither least nor less should be confused
with the conjunction lest,
which means “for fear that”:
“He kept moving his fingers lest then freeze in the bitter cold.”
Lest also conveys the meaning of “so that”
when used to introduce a statement suggesting a need for caution:
“Don’t say much lest the opposition steal your plan.”
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree
fewer = of a smaller number:
He said the same thing, but in fewer words.
Not to be confused with:
less = to a smaller extent, amount, or degree:
He was less than courteous.
[Few and fewer should be used only before a plural:
a few cookies remained;
fewer people attended.
Less should modify only singular nouns:
less money, less courage.
When a plural noun suggests a combination into a unit,
less is used:
less than fifteen cents (a sum of money);
less than fifteen miles (a unit of distance);
less sugar (a mass noun).]
Dictionary.com
WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED WITH LESS
Even though less has been used before plural nouns
(less words; less men)
since the time of King Alfred, many modern usage guides
say that only fewer can be used in such contexts.
Less, they say, should modify singular mass nouns
(less sugar; less money) and
singular abstract nouns (less honesty; less love).
It should modify plural nouns only when
they suggest combination into a unit, group, or aggregation:
less than $50 (a sum of money);
less than three miles (a unit of distance).
With plural nounsspecifying individuals
or readily distinguishable units,
the guides say that fewer is the only proper choice:
fewer words; fewer men; no fewer than 31 of the 50 states.
Modern standard English practice does not reflect this distinction.
When followed by than,
less occurs at leastas often as fewer
in modifying plural nounsthat are not units or groups,
and the use of less in this construction
is increasing in all varieties of English:
less than eight million people;
no less than 31 of the 50 states.
When not followed by than,
fewer is more frequent only in formal written English,
and in this construction
also the use of less is increasing:
This year we have had less crimes, less accidents,
and less fires than in any of the last five years.
BRITISH DICTIONARY DEFINITIONS FOR LESS
USAGE FOR LESS
Less should not be confused with fewer.
Less refers strictly only to quantityand not to number:
there is less water than before.
Fewer means smaller in number:
there are fewer people than before
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Less vs. Fewer: Usage Guide
Adjective
The traditional view is that
less applies to matters of degree, value, or amount
and modifies collective nouns, mass nouns,
or nouns denoting an abstract whole
while fewer applies to matters of number
and modifies plural nouns.
Less has been used to modify plural nouns
since the days of King Alfred and the usage,
though roundly decried, appears to be increasing.
Less is more likely than fewer to modify plural nouns
when distances, sumsof money,
and a few fixed phrases are involved
less than 100 miles
an investment of less than $2000
in 25 words or less
and as likely as fewer to modify periods of time.
in less (or fewer) than four hours
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Usage Notes
'Fewer' and 'Less'
We all want fewer problems and less trouble with fewer and less
What to Know
Generally,
fewer is used when the number of things is counted
(fewer problems)
whereas less is used when the number is measured
(less trouble or less time).
However, this is not a hard rule
and there are accepted instances
of "less" being used with countable amounts
such as "250 words or less,"
"3 items or less"
and especially with money (less than $20)
and distance (less than 3 miles).
There's a commonly repeated rule about fewer and less.
It goes like this:
fewer is used to refer to number among things that are counted,
as in "fewer choices" and "fewer problems";
less is used to refer to quantity oramountamong things
that are measured,
as in "less time" and "less effort."
This rule is simple enoughand looks easy enough to follow,
but it's not accurate for all usage.
The fact is that less is also sometimes used to
refer to number among things that are counted.
Origins of The Fewer vs Less Rule
This isn't an example of how modern English
is going to the dogs.
Less has been used this way for well over a thousand years
—nearly as long as there's been a written English language.
But for more than 200 years
almost every usage writer and English teacher
has declaredsuch use to be wrong.
The received rule seems to have originated
with the critic Robert Baker, who expressed it
not as a law but as a matter of personal preference.
Somewhere along the way—it's not clear how
—his preference was generalized
and elevated to an absolute, inviolable rule.
Exceptions to the Rule
Despite the rule,
less used of things that are countable is standard
in many contexts, and in fact is more likely
than fewer in a few common constructions,
especially ones involving distances
(as in "less than three miles"),
sums of money (as in "less than twenty dollars"),
units of time and weight (as in "less than five years"
and "less than ten ounces"),
and statistical enumerations (as in "less than 50,000 people")
—all things which are often thought of
as amounts rather than numbers.
The use of less to modify ordinary plural count nouns
(as in "made less mistakes") is pretty rare in writing
and is usually better avoided,
though it does occur frequently in speech.
But less is actually preferred in phrases like
"an essay of 250 words or less."
It's also—to the chagrin of some
—the preferred choice in the supermarket checkout line's
"twelve items or less" sign.
(Some grocery stores have apparently been convinced
by the chagrin, though, and use "items or fewer."
They are still very much in the minority.)
Less is common following a number,
as in "a package containing three less than the others,"
and is the typical choice after one,
as in "one less worry."
A definitive rule
covering all possibilities is maybe impossible.
If you're a native speaker
your best bet is to be guided by your ear,
choosing the word that sounds more natural in a particular context.
If you're not a nativespeaker,
the simple rule is a good place to start,
but be sure to consider the exceptions to it as well.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Fewer & Less
Question:
Does the average American family
have less than two kids or fewer than two kids?
Answer:
fewer
How to Remember It:
Fewer refers to things that can be counted (fewer kids, fewer chairs).
Less usually refers to quantities of things that can't be counted (less coffee, less agitation).
However, under certain circumstances less, not fewer,
is more commonly used with countable things.
For example: Less than twenty miles, less than five dollars,
and 1500 words or less, are considered standard.
As for the express lane at the supermarket,
"ten items or fewer" followsthe general rule,
but "ten items or less" is also widely accepted and more often used.
The traditional view is that
less applies to matters of degree, value, or amount and modifies collective nouns, mass nouns,
or nouns denoting an abstract whole
while fewer applies to matters of number
and modifies plural nouns.
The apple-cart of traditional view is often upset
by people who insist on using the language as they see fit.
