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# fewer

adjective, pronoun (few, fewer, fewest)

«fewer» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Fewer means a smaller number of things: «fewer apples». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#m1)
2. Few means not many; fewest means the smallest number of all. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#m2)
3. No fewer than means as many as, or more than, a surprisingly large number. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#m3)

### In the lessons

a smaller count than someone else's: «A has D fewer than B» is B − D; «How many fewer» asks for a difference; phrases: «fewer than», «no fewer than», «the fewest»

### Examples

- Max has 2 fewer books than Lily. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#x1)
- Max has 2 books fewer than Lily. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#x2)
- How many fewer apples does Tom have than Ben? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#x3)
- There are fewer children at school when it snows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#x4)
- Which team scored the fewest goals? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#x5)
- Fewer than 10 people came to the show. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#x6)
- Spiders have fewer legs than centipedes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#x7)
- Eat fewer sweets and more fruit. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#x8)
- There were no fewer than thirty blossoms on its stem. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/#x9)

### Note

«A has D fewer than B» is B − D. «How many fewer» asks for the difference: subtract. Trap: if A's count is given, B is A + D. Use «fewer» for things you count (fewer apples) and «less» for amounts you do not count (less milk).

## In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: Land is divided by lot, with more going to the larger tribes and less to the smaller. Tradition sees this as fair, and the land as a gift from God. In the primary lessons: a smaller count than someone else's: «A has D fewer than B» is B − D; «How many fewer» asks for a difference; phrases: «fewer than», «no fewer than», «the fewest»

### Examples

- According to the lot shall their inheritance be divided between the more and the fewer.' (Torah NUM.26.56, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/fewer/#x1)
- To the more thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to the fewer thou shalt give the less inheritance; to each one according to those that were numbered of it shall its inheritance be given. (Torah NUM.26.54, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/fewer/#x2)

### Note

«A has D fewer than B» is B − D. «How many fewer» asks for the difference: subtract. Trap: if A's count is given, B is A + D. Use «fewer» for things you count (fewer apples) and «less» for amounts you do not count (less milk).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «fewer» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fewer/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«fewer» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/fewer.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «fewer» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/fewer/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«fewer» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/fewer.html) on Mova free.