few adjective [comparative Fewer (fū′ẽr); superlative Fewest.] [OE. fewe, feawe, AS. feá, pl. feáwe; akin to OS. fāh, OHG. fō fao, Icel. fār, Sw. få, pl., Dan. faa, pl., Goth. faus, L. paucus, cf. Gr. παῦρος. Cf. Paucity.]

Not many; small, limited, or confined in number; – indicating a small portion of units or individuals constituting a whole; often, by ellipsis of a noun, a few people.

“Are not my days few?” Job x. 20.

Few know and fewer care. Proverb.

☞ Few is often used partitively; as, few of them.

A few

a small number.

In few ,

few words; briefly. Shak.

No few

not few; more than a few; many. Cowper.

The few

the minority; – opposed to the many or the majority.