lesser
adjective /ˈlesə(r)/
/ˈlesər/
[only before noun]Idioms - not as great in size, amount or importance as something/somebody else
较小的；较少的；次要的 - people of lesser importance
次要人物 - They were all involved to a greater or lesser degree (= some were more involved than others).
他们或多或少都受到了牵连。 - The law was designed to protect wives, and, to a lesser extent, children.
这条法律是为了保护妻子，其次是保护子女。 - He was encouraged to plead guilty to the lesser offence.
有人怂恿他认那个较轻的罪。 - (humorous) He doesn’t even acknowledge us lesser mortals (= people who are not as important or powerful).
他甚至不承认我们这些小人物。 - A lesser woman would have given up.
一个地位较低的女人会放弃。
- people of lesser importance
- (specialist) used in the names of some types of animals, birds and plants that are smaller than similar kinds
（用于比同类小的动植物名称）小 - a lesser black-backed gull
一种较小的黑背鸥
opposite greater - a lesser black-backed gull
词源Middle English: a double comparative, from less + -er.
Idioms
the lesser of two evils | the lesser evil
- the less unpleasant of two unpleasant choices
两害相权之轻者