less, lasse, lesse, les, a,

& s. [A. S. læ a (a.); læs (adv.), cogn. with O. Fris. le a =le . Læ a is for læs - ra, and is the comparative from a root las, which appears in Goth. lasiws =feeble; Icel.lasina feeble, ailing; lasna =to become feeble, to decay. Le is used as the comparative of little, but is from an entirely different root.] [LEAST, LITTLE.] A. As adj.: Smaller; of le size, extent, or amount; not so large or great. B. As adv.: In a smaller or lower degree; not so much. C. As substantive: 1. A quantity smaller than another; not so much. "They gathered some more, some le ."- Exod . xvi. 17. *2. A younger, an inferior, a junior. "The le is ble ed of the better." - Hebrews vii. 7. *le , v . t . [LESS, a .] To make le ; to le en. les-seē', s . [English lease (1), v.; -ee.] One to whom a lease is granted. les-sen, *las-sen, v. t. & i. [Eng. le , a.; -en.] A. Transitive: 1. To make le or diminish in size, extent, bulk, number, degree, or quantity. "It would be improper to pall his curiosity by le ening his surprise."-Goldsmith: The Bee , No. 1. (Introd.) 2. To reduce or lower in dignity or quality; to degrade. "Adieu, young prince; I would not hear a word Should le en thee in my esteem." B. Intransitive: Add is on: Cato , ii. 1. 1. To become le ; to become diminished in size, bulk, extent, number, degree, or quantity; to decrease, to diminish, to shrink. "The mighty chain of beings, le ening down From infinite perfection to the brink Of dreary nothing." Thomson: Summer , 334. *2. To soar up, and so become smaller to the sight. "They did not only le en, but fly out of sight." Fuller : Worthies , ch. xvi. le -er, adj. & adv. [A double comparative, formed by adding the comparative suff. -er to le .] A. As adjective: 1. Ord. Lang .: Le , smaller. "Make greater states upon the le er seize." Daniel: Civil Wars, b. vi. IMG:content-0496.png:[blocks in formation] pine, pit, sire, sir, marine; gō, pot,