few
Translation
few, not many
Examples
Few people came to the party.
Few people came to the party.
I have a few friends in this city.
I have a few friends in this city.
Grammar Patterns
few + ((plural countable noun)) not many Few students passed the difficult exam.
Similar Words
Synonyms: not many, a small number of; Antonyms: many, a lot of. Contrast with 'a few' (some) and 'little' (for uncountable nouns).
Etymology
From Old English 'fēawe', meaning 'small in number'.
Memory Tips
'Few' implies a negative quantity (not enough), while 'a few' is more positive (some). Think 'F' for 'Few' and 'Failing' to remember the negative sense.