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Can you please explain the meaning of no less than with examples?

EDIT:

WOW! I really didn't think that my question was so inferior!

Ok, I will try to add some quality like the one here:

When someone says 'no less than' what does it mean?

So you can give me some Cambridge Dictionary and Wikipedia links.

  • Please check digital/paper dictionaries first, before asking a question here. This question is easily answerable through normal resources. Please read the FAQ for more information about what questions best fit here. – Matt E. Эллен Nov 24 '11 at 16:07
  • Try searching for "none other than", if the literal meaning doesn't make sense to you. – Andy F Nov 24 '11 at 16:08
  • Also, it might help if you have a read of this meta post for more help on asking questions – Matt E. Эллен Nov 24 '11 at 16:20
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    Hi Matt. I am not satisfied with the answers I've found on the web. English is not my native language, unlike you. There are lots of questions in this site answered with a link to somewhere. Nobody downvotes people for that. Actually you have questions answered like that,too. I'm surprised with your attitude. – Mehmet Balioglu Nov 24 '11 at 16:22
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    If you are not happy with the answers you've found, please explain in your question (which you can edit and we can reopen) what you've found and why it doesn't help you. – waiwai933 Nov 24 '11 at 16:54
  • Why is this question closed, but not The meaning of “no more … than”? – FumbleFingers Nov 24 '11 at 17:02
  • I think many people say something is no less than something else when they really mean is no more than. Effectively, they mean simply. – FumbleFingers Nov 24 '11 at 17:06
  • @FumbleFingers — I would say that the quality of the question you linked to is far greater than this one. It explains the problems the questioner is having with the phrase so as to allow a good well thought out answer that can't just be Googled. I find this question does not have the same qualities. If I knew what problems bonsvr was having with the phrase then I could answer. – Matt E. Эллен Nov 24 '11 at 21:19
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    @Matt Эллен: It's closed as "general reference", rather than "not a real question". Obviously I personally don't find the surface meaning of the expression opaque, but looking at examples in NGrams I'm intrigued that this version (as opposed to no more than) seems to have a far higher proportion of usages in religious contexts. I'm also struck by fact that many instances of either version could just as easily have used the word "simply". As a set phrase, it does seem to behave a little oddly. – FumbleFingers Nov 24 '11 at 21:42
  • @FumbleFingers — The question doesn't say what aspect of the phrase is confusing, e.g. religion, hyperbole, etc. There's, just the desire for a definition. It shows no research or clear direction. I have no doubt that a good question about no less than is askable. This is not it. – Matt E. Эллен Nov 25 '11 at 08:17
  • ELU is nothing if not democratic, and the weight of opinion is clearly with you on this one. I've just done an NGram comparing no more/less than, and I'm now even more intrigued. It seems more was vastly more common in C18, but gave way to less in C19 before regaining dominance through C20. It's certainly an unusual distribution, but I don't think I can just edit OP's question to make it ask about things like that. – FumbleFingers Nov 25 '11 at 14:17

1 Answers1

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This is an adjective. Little - Less - Least. It is the opposite of greater. "How long is that? Hmm, I don't know, but no less than 1 metre, and not longer than 2 metres eighter. Maybe 1,5?"