1.little more than只,只不过;仅仅
与数量词连用表示“言其少”。与非数量词连用表示“只不过;仅仅”等。
It’s worth little more than a shilling.
这只不过值一先令。
He left little more than an hour ago.
他刚刚在一小时之前离开。
But let us suppose that the Atlantic Ocean is now regularly crossed by enormous hovercraft. The hovercraft, with a thousand motorcars on board, moves at 100 miles per hour, and is across the Atlantic in little more than one day.(复且大学 《英语》三 168 页)
让我们设想,现在有许多的气垫船定期跨越大西洋航行。装载着上千辆汽车的气垫船的航速每小时一百英里,气垫船只消花上一天时间就能渡过大西洋。
He was little more than a child when his father died.
他父亲去世时,他差不多还是个孩子。
Aid to the Third World is at present little more than a drop in the ocean.
目前对第三世界的援助只不过是杯水车薪。
The American working man fought hard to achieve what he has. In the beginning he was little more than a slave.
美国劳工为了获得今日的一切经历了艰苦卓绝的斗争。起初美国劳工只不过是奴隶而已。
He left school with little more than a basic education.
他只接受了点基础教育就退学了。
The President will be little more than a figurehead.
总统将不过是个傀儡而已。
2a little more than 比.…多一点,好一点,胜出一点等
He spent a little more than twenty dollars.
他花了20美元多一点。
I'm now a little more than two years out of college.
我现在已经大学毕业两年多了。
A little more than kin, and less than kind. (Hamlet 1.2)
超乎寻常的亲族,漠不相关的路人。--《哈姆雷特》
To compensate for his unpleasant experiences in hospital, the man drank a little more than was good for him.
为了补偿住院这一段不愉快的经历,那人喝得稍许多了一点。
另外:
a little less than 才是“比……少一点,差一点,逊色"如:
He is a little less capable than his elder brother.他的能力比他哥哥差一点。
Ten is a little less than eleven.十比十一少一点。