Part 6474

<blockquote>The <b>less</b> is blessed of the better. <i>Heb. vii. 7. </i></blockquote>

<h1>Less</h1> <Xpage=844>

<hw>Less</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To make less; to lessen.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Gower.</i>

<h1>Lessee</h1> <Xpage=844>

<hw>Les*see"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>laiss\'82</ets>, p. p. of <ets>laisser</ets>. See <er>Lease</er>, <tt>v. t.</tt>]</ety> <fld>(Law)</fld> <def>The person to whom a lease is given, or who takes an estate by lease.</def>

<i>Blackstone.</i>

<h1>Lessen</h1> <Xpage=844>

<hw>Less"en</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Lessened</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Lessening</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[From <er>Less</er>, <tt>a.</tt> ]</ety> <def>To make less; to reduce; to make smaller, or fewer; to diminish; to lower; to degrade; <as>as, to <ex>lessen</ex> a kingdom, or a population; to <ex>lessen</ex> speed, rank, fortune.</as></def>

<blockquote>Charity . . . shall <b>lessen</b> his punishment. <i>Calamy.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to <b>lessen</b> it. <i>Atterbury.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- To diminish; reduce; abate; decrease; lower; impair; weaken; degrade.</syn>

<h1>Lessen</h1> <Xpage=844>

<hw>Less"en</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To become less; to shrink; to contract; to decrease; to be diminished; <as>as, the apparent magnitude of objects <ex>lessens</ex> as we recede from them; his care, or his wealth, <ex>lessened</ex>.</as></def>

<blockquote>The objection <b>lessens</b> much, and comes to no more than this: there was one witness of no good reputation. <i>Atterbury.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Lessener</h1> <Xpage=844>

<hw>Less"en*er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who, or that which, lessens.</def>

<blockquote>His wife . . . is the <b>lessener</b> of his pain, and the augmenter of his pleasure. <i>J. Rogers (1839). </i></blockquote>

<h1>Lesser</h1> <Xpage=844>

<hw>Less"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[This word is formed by adding anew the compar. suffix <ets>-er</ets> (in which <ets>r</ets> is from an original <ets>s</ets>) to <ets>less</ets>. See <er>Less</er>, <tt>a.</tt>]</ety> <def>Less; smaller; inferior.</def>

<blockquote>God made . . . the <b>lesser</b> light to rule the night. <i>Gen. i. 15.</i></blockquote>

<note>&hand; <i>Lesser</i> is used for <i>less</i>, now the compar. of <i>little</i>, in certain special instances in which its employment has become established by custom; as, <i>Lesser</i> Asia (i. e., Asia Minor), the <i>lesser</i> light, and some others; also in poetry, for the sake of the meter, and in prose where its use renders the passage more euphonious.</note>

<blockquote>The more my prayer, the <b>lesser</b> is my grace. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>The larger here, and there the <b>lesser</b> lambs. <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>By the same reason may a man, in the state of nature, punish the <b>lesser</b> breaches of the law. <i>Locke.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Lesser</h1> <Xpage=844>

<hw>Less"er</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>Less.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>