Thamnophilus (thamnofilus)

[NL. (Vieillot, 1816), 1826 . 2. A genus of coleopterous insects. Schönherr, than (than), adv. and conj. [Early mod. E. also then, in both uses (now used exclusively as an adverb); = Goth. than, adv. and conj.; with an obscure formative -n, -ne, from the pronominal stem tha in the, that, there, etc.: see the, that.] I. adv. At that time; then. See then. [Old and prov. Eng.] Thanne gart sche to greithe gaili alle thinges. William of Palerne (E. E. T. S.), 1. 4274. For the than went this gentyll knyght, With a care full chere. Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode (Child's Ballads, V. 49). II. conj . A particle used after comparatives, and certain words which expre comparison or diversity, such as more , better , other , other wise , rather , else , etc., and introducing the second member of a comparison. Than has the same case (usually the nominative) after it as it has before it, in accordance with the syntactical rule that "conjunctions connect... the same cases of nouns and pronouns": as, he is taller than I (am); I am richer than he (is); "thrice fairer than (I) myself (am)" ( Shak . , Venus and Adonis, 1.7); they like you better than (they like) me. Thenne was ich al so fayn as foul of fair morwenynge, Gladder than gleo-man [is] that gold hath to gyfte. Piers Plowman (C), xii. 103. Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist; notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Mat. xi. 11. I will sooner trust the wind With feathers, or the troubled sea with pearl, Than her with any thing. Beau . and Fl . , Phil aster, v. 5. This age, this worse then iron age, This sincke of synne. Times' Whistle (E. E. T. S.), p. 2. I am better acquainted with the country than you are. Cotton , in Walton's Angler, ii. 225. He [King John] had more of Lightning in him than [he had) of Thunder. Baker , Chronicles, p. 75. There is no art that hath bin more soyl'd and slubber'd with aphorism ing pedantry then the art of policie. Milton , Reformation in Eng., ii. He desires to be answerable no farther than he is guilty. Swift , Tale of a Tub, Apol. The late events seem to have no other effect than to harden them in error. Pre scott, Ferd. and Isa., ii. 7. 6264 No sooner the bells leave off than the diligence rattles in. Browning, Up at a Villa. A noun-clause introduced by that sometimes follows than: as, I had rather be a sufferer myself than that you should be; and the that is now and then omitted in poetry. Since I suppose we are made to be no stronger Than faults may shake our frames, Shak., M. for M., ii. 4. 133. Sometimes the preceding comparative is left to be inferred from the context; sometimes it is omitted from mere care noun pronoun after than has show of analogy with one governed by a preposition, and is some times blunderingly put in the objective case even when properly of subjective value: as, none knew better than him. Even Milton says than whom, and this is more usual: thanage (tha'naj), n. [ for example, than whom there is none better.