How Do You Spell MUCH LESS?

Pronunciation: [mˈʌt͡ʃ lˈɛs] (IPA)

The phrase "much less" is spelled with the letters M-U-C-H L-E-S-S. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is pronounced as /mʌtʃ lɛs/. The first syllable "muh" is pronounced with a short u sound, while the second syllable "ch" is pronounced with the "ch" sound as in "church." The second half of the word, "less," is pronounced with a short "e" sound followed by the "ss" sound. "Much less" is often used to indicate that something is even less likely or possible than whatever was previously mentioned.

MUCH LESS Meaning and Definition

1. Much less is an idiomatic phrase in English that is used to emphasize a significant contrast between two ideas or situations. It is generally employed to highlight a more extreme or unlikely situation when compared to a previous statement. The phrase is commonly used to express a sense of doubt, disbelief, or to emphasize the impossibility or unlikelihood of the next statement being true.

   In context, "much less" often suggests that the preceding statement is already considered unlikely, and the following statement is even more so. The phrase functions as a qualifier, intensifying the contrast between the two elements being compared. It can be used to express an opinion, convey disagreement, or to highlight the magnitude of a difference between two concepts.

   For instance, consider the sentence: "He couldn't even afford a bicycle, much less a car." In this example, "much less" emphasizes that the speaker believes it is even more improbable for the person to afford a car, given their current financial situation.

   In summary, "much less" is an idiomatic expression used to accentuate a significant contrast between two concepts, highlighting the unlikelihood or impossibility of the second statement when compared to the first.

Top Common Misspellings for MUCH LESS *

• muchless 100%

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Etymology of MUCH LESS

The phrase "much less" originated from the Old English word "mycel" which means "great, large, or much". It evolved from the Middle English phrase "myche lasse" in the 14th century, where "lasse" meant "lesser" or "smaller". Over time, this phrase transformed into "much less" with a similar meaning.

Idioms with the word MUCH LESS

• much less do sth The idiom "much less do sth" is used to express the idea that a particular action is even less likely or feasible than a previously mentioned or implied action. It emphasizes the improbability or impossibility of the second action by comparing it to the first.
• much less "Much less" is an idiom used to emphasize that something is even less likely or possible than something else already considered unlikely or impossible. It suggests that something is not just improbable, but even more so than previously thought.