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The phrase "much less"

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Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Sep 21, 2011 4:26 PM
I realize this is extremely stupid and highly irrelevant to anything in life, but what is the correct terminology/phrase for using "much less"?

Example:

I hope my house doesn't burn down, much less someone die.

or

I hope no one dies, much less my the house burns down.

What is the correct way of phrasing "much less"? Do you put the more significant of the matter at the end? Or the beginning?

Another example:

I hope I'm able to finish the leg, much less the race.

Or

I hope I'm able to finish the race, much less a leg.

This has always bothered me.
Sep 21, 2011 4:26pm
gorocks99's avatar

gorocks99

Senior Member

10,760 posts
Sep 21, 2011 4:38 PM
I normally use it by placing the more significant at the beginning, but haven't really thought about it too much before.

"He couldn't find his wallet, much less his driver's license"
Sep 21, 2011 4:38pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Sep 21, 2011 4:42 PM
gorocks99;905852 wrote:I normally use it by placing the more significant at the beginning, but haven't really thought about it too much before.

"He couldn't find his wallet, much less his driver's license"
This is how I would use it.

"Much less" pointing out the "thing" that is much less important/significant.
Sep 21, 2011 4:42pm
Heretic's avatar

Heretic

Son of the Sun

18,820 posts
Sep 21, 2011 4:45 PM
justincredible;905856 wrote:This is how I would use it.

"Much less" pointing out the "thing" that is much less important/significant.
You've heard a lot of "much less, Justin" throughout your life, haven't you?

Sep 21, 2011 4:45pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Sep 21, 2011 5:01 PM
Heretic;905860 wrote:You've heard a lot of "much less, Justin" throughout your life, haven't you?

More or less.
Sep 21, 2011 5:01pm
E

enigmaax

Senior Member

4,511 posts
Sep 21, 2011 10:37 PM
Scarlet_Buckeye;905839 wrote:I hope I'm able to finish the leg, much less the race.
"Much less" means to a lesser extent, so this is your best example. You have less of a chance to finish the race than a leg. Or, you might not even be able to accomplish X, so Y is probably completely out of the question.

Some other examples:
I can't afford to buy porn, much less rent a hooker.
Darby doesn't know when a girl wants to bang, much less when to put it in her butt.
Sep 21, 2011 10:37pm
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Sep 22, 2011 8:33 AM
gorocks99;905852 wrote:I normally use it by placing the more significant at the beginning, but haven't really thought about it too much before.

"He couldn't find his wallet, much less his driver's license"
enigmaax;906220 wrote:"Much less" means to a lesser extent, so this is your best example. You have less of a chance to finish the race than a leg. Or, you might not even be able to accomplish X, so Y is probably completely out of the question.

Some other examples:
I can't afford to buy porn, much less rent a hooker.
Darby doesn't know when a girl wants to bang, much less when to put it in her butt.

So we have contradictory view points....
Sep 22, 2011 8:33am
ernest_t_bass's avatar

ernest_t_bass

12th Son of the Lama

24,984 posts
Sep 22, 2011 8:40 AM
enigmaax;906220 wrote:Some other examples:
I can't afford to buy porn, much less rent a hooker.
Darby doesn't know when a girl wants to bang, much less when to put it in her butt.
When I am able to rep again, this will receive reps.
Sep 22, 2011 8:40am
Rotinaj's avatar

Rotinaj

Senior Member

7,699 posts
Sep 22, 2011 8:41 AM
Im sure CC will come in and sort this all out soon enough. Word on the street is that hes a grammatical wizard.
Sep 22, 2011 8:41am
E

enigmaax

Senior Member

4,511 posts
Sep 22, 2011 8:42 AM
Scarlet_Buckeye;906434 wrote:So we have contradictory view points....
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/much+less
Sep 22, 2011 8:42am
ernest_t_bass's avatar

ernest_t_bass

12th Son of the Lama

24,984 posts
Sep 22, 2011 8:43 AM
Rotinaj;906442 wrote:Word on the street is that hes a grammatical wizard.
It's "grammarical." DUH!
Sep 22, 2011 8:43am
thePITman's avatar

thePITman

Senior Member

3,867 posts
Sep 22, 2011 2:13 PM
The way you are describing "much less" sounds like what I mean when I say "let alone"... "I couldn't score a single point, let alone get a WIN."

Score a point = easier thing to do that I couldn't do
Get a win = must do the first (score a point) in order to do the 2nd (win)
Sep 22, 2011 2:13pm
E

enigmaax

Senior Member

4,511 posts
Sep 22, 2011 2:26 PM
thePITman;906888 wrote:The way you are describing "much less" sounds like what I mean when I say "let alone"... "I couldn't score a single point, let alone get a WIN."

Score a point = easier thing to do that I couldn't do
Get a win = must do the first (score a point) in order to do the 2nd (win)
Yes, they are synonyms. "Not to mention" is another.
Sep 22, 2011 2:26pm
V

vball10set

paying it forward

24,795 posts
Sep 22, 2011 3:07 PM
I can't believe someone started a thread about this, much less people responding to it
Sep 22, 2011 3:07pm
B

bigkahuna

Senior Member

4,454 posts
Sep 22, 2011 9:02 PM
ernest_t_bass;906441 wrote:When I am able to rep again, this will receive reps.
I repped it for you, so you should rep me.
Sep 22, 2011 9:02pm
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Sep 23, 2011 10:54 AM
thePITman;906888 wrote:The way you are describing "much less" sounds like what I mean when I say "let alone"... "I couldn't score a single point, let alone get a WIN."

Score a point = easier thing to do that I couldn't do
Get a win = must do the first (score a point) in order to do the 2nd (win)
Reps
Sep 23, 2011 10:54am
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Sep 23, 2011 10:54 AM
vball10set;906952 wrote:I can't believe someone started a thread about this, much less people responding to it
Reps
Sep 23, 2011 10:54am
coyotes22's avatar

coyotes22

Go Tigers

11,298 posts
Sep 24, 2011 9:19 PM
vball10set;906952 wrote:I can't believe someone started a thread about this, much less people responding to it
I lol'd
Sep 24, 2011 9:19pm
C

cbus4life

Ignorant

2,849 posts
Sep 24, 2011 11:52 PM
Very impressed that this turned into an actual serious discussion, well done.
Sep 24, 2011 11:52pm