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few
/fjuː/
a small number of
There are few people left in the room.
This means that only a small number of people remain.
general
a small number of people or things
Few students attended the lecture on Saturday.
Only a small number of students came to the lecture.
She has few friends in the new city.
She doesn't have many friends where she lives now.
Often used with 'only' or 'just' for emphasis.
general
not many; a small amount
He has few regrets about his life.
He doesn't have many regrets.
Can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
Collocations
few and far betweenrare or infrequentonly a fewa very small number
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Emphasizing smallness
Use 'only a few' or 'just a few' to emphasize that the number is very small.
Gold Rule
Countable and uncountable
Can be used with both countable nouns (e.g., 'few people') and uncountable nouns (e.g., 'few opportunities').
Word Origin
From Middle English 'fewe,' from Old English 'fēawe,' meaning 'a small number.' Related to Old Frisian 'fā,' Old Saxon 'fāh,' and Old High German 'fāh.'
Usage Notes
Often used with 'only' or 'just' for emphasis. Can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
Word Breakdown
few
small number
rootEnglish Dictionary