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by Abbyguy on February 10th, 2007
3
by parsonsh on May 5th, 2008
Single is one
A couple is two
Few is three to five
Half a dozen is six
Several is seven to eleven
A dozen is twelve
More than twelve is definitely drunk.
by munchkin_kids_downunder on February 10th, 2007
3 or more. 2 is a couple.
by swannie on February 18th, 2007
I always think of it as 3, nothing above or below that number.
by Little Miss Dangerous on February 16th, 2007
Well, I always thought it was three, since two was a couple, until I had an argument with my father-in-law about it. He won. It is as deaddrunk and others say:
1 : consisting of or amounting to only a small number <one of our few pleasures>
2 : at least some but indeterminately small in number -- used with a <caught a few fish>
by Anonymous on February 10th, 2007
Depends on whether I am talking about Hum-Vees or M&M's. I'd say generally when I say a few, it means less than 10.
by timetogetserious on February 10th, 2007
More than 2, 2 is a couple, anything more is a few.
by iwnit on May 5th, 2008
1) "Determiner
few
1. More than one, but not as many as usual or as expected.
There are few people who understand quantum theory.
2. (meteorology) (not comparable) (Of the sky) one eighth to two eighths obscured by clouds
3. (meteorology) (not comparable) (Of clouds) covering one eighth to two eighths of the sky
4. An indefinite small number of things or people.
I don't know how many drinks I've had, but I've had a few.
I was expecting lots of people at the party, but few turned up.
- Usage notes
Few is used with plural nouns only. With uncountable nouns, little should be used.
Few, to some people, normally indicates a quantity of three."
Source and further information:
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/few
2) the difference between your and their idea of "a few moments" is impoliteness...
;-)
by BigDaddyBS on May 5th, 2008
It IS more than two (a couple) no matter what.
I think it depends on what you're talking about...
Examples:
A few seconds is more than a couple of seconds but less than a minute.
A few minutes is more than a couple of minutes but less than an hour.
A few hours is more than a couple of minutes but less than a day.
A few days is more than a couple of days but less than a week.
A few months is more than a couple of months but less than a year.
A few years is more than a couple of years but less than a decade. (Although, at times, it can also mean 10, 20, or 30 years - depends on the age of the person stating it.)
A few eggs is more than a couple but less than a dozen (usually less than 1/2 dozen, too).
A few people is more than a couple, but less than a crowd or mob.
A few things are more than a couple, but less than a "bunch" (which depends on the things in question - a few paperclips can be MANY more than a few cars...)
It's all relative. ;-)
by donovan reynolds. on February 10th, 2007
Few doesn't really have a definite number because it can vary with what you are talking about.
There can be a few thousand endangered animals of some species still living.
But a if I had few thousand or something else, let's say, houses, then that would defeat the whole idea.
Few is an indefinite number attached to the subject that is a considerably small amount into proportion of what it is talking about. (If that makes any sense)
by unforgiven017 on February 10th, 2007
107
by Jack Wallace on January 28th, 2009
More than a couple, and less than several.
It may also mean "some" or a very small number compared with the whole: e.g., the Roman Republic was an oligarchy (government by the few) in which the few (about 1800 men) controlled the government over the many (about 30 million).
by robdback on January 16th, 2009
Well after having a few drinks and thinking about this for a few minutes... I've even researched a few responses and articles about this matter and it seems that few if any have any clue what a few means. So Im gonna have a few more and nap for a few minutes until its time to go work. Then Im gonna watch the cardinals beat the eagles by a few points at the game on Sunday!
Sincerely
A man of few words
by Tempter on May 28th, 2008
More than a couple, less then a bunch, less than alot, around the same a several.
by bako37 on May 28th, 2008
I think 3 or 4 since 2 is a couple and I think of 5 to 7 as several and after that, many, a bunch, a crap load.
by katydid15 on May 5th, 2008
Three to five.
by Penny The Wise on July 17th, 2007
3 or above- but less than 8. 8 Equals many.
by pcorr99 on June 13th, 2007
3 or 4 but not 2(its a couple) and not 5(5 is a quantity all in its own).
by Anonymous on June 13th, 2007
EXACTLY Three !
by aimeerw on June 13th, 2007
My Aunt always told us that a few was eight. I don't know where she heard that, but was very convinced that was the true quantity of a few so that is what I have always believed.
My co-workers find it very amusing. :)
by Singingismystyle on February 16th, 2007
3 or more. I use to think it was just 3.
by Universe Of Life on February 10th, 2007
A few
more than one but indefinitely small in number.
by ElfinNiche on February 10th, 2007
2 or 1 out of ten which you can offer.
by Esteban-- Smartest Pumpkin on February 10th, 2007
an indefinite but relatively small number; "they bought a case of beer and drank a few"
by beenaroundtheblock on February 10th, 2007
A few what? According to my mother three, if by cookie. If she said we could have a couple of cookies, that was two, if she said a few it was three.
by LoyalTubist-CountryClub Life in Mindanao on March 14th, 2009
More than a couple.
by rrlady on March 14th, 2009
2.
by Normal guy on March 11th, 2009
Well, it's definately more than a couple and I'm pretty sure it's less than a handful.
by The Boss on March 11th, 2009
i think its 2
by Penny The Wise on July 17th, 2007
3 or above- but less than 8. 8 Equals many.
by Amphetamine is alone again on July 17th, 2007
about the same as some
by Joseph has another name on January 16th, 2009
A handfull more than a couple........? :D
by The Dean on January 17th, 2009
A few is always less than 5 and more than 2.
In our base 10 world, when the number of items are rounded off, anything 5 and over becomes 10. Since a few is assoicated with a small amount it must be less than 5. and since 1 is 1 and 2 is always a couple, that only leaves 3 and 4 to be concidered a few.
It makes no matter if you are talking about a few thousand. It's still more than 2 thousand and less than 5 thousand.
by vera city on January 17th, 2009
more than "a couple" but far less than "half"
by Luke_H7895 on March 10th, 2011
me and my girlfriend both think it is 3 to 5 cause there is no other term for them but the rest of the numbers have terms like 6 is a half a dozen. and est...
by Luke_H7895 on March 10th, 2011
3-5 is what i learned in school
by Kat on March 3rd, 2010
I would say anything more than two. For two, you would say "a couple", e.g. a couple of oranges = two oranges. A few oranges = more than two. [But don't ask me at what number 'a few' should change to 'lots']
by Charlie is a girl on February 24th, 2010
three(3) or more up to seven(7).
by call_me_ishmael on March 3rd, 2010
I believe its 3...
by Raddman on March 3rd, 2010
A couple is two, a few is three or four!
by Luke_B7678 on December 25th, 2010
its a fact its 4
by mycatharsis on January 18th, 2009
I could say the following things:
I saw a film.
I saw a couple of films.
I saw a few films.
I saw several films.
I saw many films.
Thus, few is less than several, which is in turn less than many.
I think 3 to 6 is a good guess.
I think the context can influence our expectations of what a few might mean.
I also think that the whole point of using the word a "few" is that the person speaking does not want to think about the exact number, or they can not remember the exact number, or the exact number is not especially relevant.
by -O-uknow on January 18th, 2009
Whatever's in your wallet ;)
by ArcyQwerty on March 11th, 2009
Depending on the context, usually about 3 to 5
by lovebettafish on March 11th, 2009
2 or 3
by Ditto on March 11th, 2009
Three.
by GraduateStudent on March 11th, 2009
no more than 5 but more than 2. So 3 or 4.
2<x<5 If I wanted 2 I would say "couple" "pair" etc.
If I wanted one I would ask for "single" "one" etc.
6 would be "half dozen" and 5 is generally called a "handful"
by ProfessionalCynic on March 11th, 2009
3
by Prunesquallor on March 11th, 2009
It depends entirely on the context. A small proportion of the whole.
"Most people in this country support one of the main political parties, but a few will go for the extremes."
In this context 'a few' could mean hundreds of thousands.
by ILoveLois on January 28th, 2009
More than a couple but less than 'some'.
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