less than (something)

less than (something)

Not at all; the opposite of. Dad was less than thrilled when I came in after curfew. They were less than amused by his prank, to say the least.
See also: less
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

less than

Not at all or hardly at all. For example, He had a less than favorable view of the matter, or She had a less than adequate grasp of the subject. This expression uses less in the sense of "a smaller quantity, number, or extent than is implied," a usage dating from about a.d. 1000. The same sense appears in less than no time, a hyperbolic term for a very short time (as in Don't worry, he'll be here in less than no time) that dates from about 1800.
See also: less
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

less than

Not at all: He had a less than favorable view of the matter.
See also: less
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • less than
  • even/much/still less
  • much less
  • under (someone's or something's) shadow
  • under the shadow of (someone or something)
  • in the shadow of (someone or something)
  • in/under the shadow of
  • the path less traveled
  • little frog in a big pond
  • a little frog in a big pond