Used to introduce a clause having a finite verb and expressing a comparison or contrast: (a) in constructions with a comp. adj., adj. as noun, or adv. in the comp. degree: than; (b) in constructions with an adj. in the positive degree having comp. sense: than; also, translating L quam following proportional adj. as adv.: as much as, more than [quot. a1382]; (c) in constructions with an adj. or adv. in the superlative degree having comp. sense: than.

Used to introduce a comp. clause or phrase in which there is no finite verb expressed: than: (a) in constructions with a comp. adj., adj. as noun, or adv., introducing a clause the verb of which is unexpressed;—occas. in elliptical constructions with the verb of the first clause unexpressed; (b) in constructions with a comp. adj. or adv. and ellipsis of both subj. and verb in the than clause [sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense 1f.]; (c) in constructions with a comp. adv., linking contrasting prep. phrases; (d) in constructions with a comp. adj. or adv., linking two infinitives or inf. phrases; also with 2nd inf. unexpressed [quots. c1225 & a1450]; (e) in constructions with a comp. adj., adj. as noun, or adv., comparing or contrasting acts, states, etc. the expressions of which are not syntactically parallel.

Used in constructions with a comp. adj. or adv.: (a) introducing a clause expressing a contrasted potential action with that: than; also, with that unexpressed: than that; (b) introducing a contrasted conditional clause with if: than; also, with if unexpressed: than if; (c) introducing a contrasted temporal clause with whanne: than; also, with whanne unexpressed: than when.

Used in elliptical constructions with a comp. adj., adj. as noun, or adv.: (a) introducing a comp. clause for which an unexpressed rel. pron. subj. or direct obj. (or both) must be supplied from context: than what, than that which, than those which, etc.; also, in elliptical constructions with unexpressed rel. pron. and prep. phrase: than that at which [quot. c1425]; than that for which [quot. c1450]; than that over which [quot. a1450]; (b) introducing a comp. clause in which the subj. is replaced by a poss. pron. or a prep. phrase: than;—usu. with verb of the than clause unexpressed; (c) introducing a comp. clause in which both the subj. and the verb are unexpressed, and a pred. noun or direct obj. is replaced by a poss. pron.: ben his honour and profite more ~ min, to be his honor and profit more than it is mine; ben loth more ~ hire ouen receiven, be unwilling to receive more than that which is her own.

In elliptical constructions: (a) preceded by a comp. adj. or adv. and followed by a temporal adv., used to express a contrast between acts, states, etc. at different times: ben werse ~ tho, to be worse than then; ben of more might..her-biforen ~ nou, be of more power..formerly than now; bicomen clerere ~ er, become clearer than before; etc.; (b) in proverb, both preceded and followed by temporal adverbs: ben bettre late ~ never.

As quasi-prep. with comp. adj. as noun or adv.: ferre ~, further than, beyond; more ~, more besides, more than.

Used to introduce a clause expressing the basic difference or otherness of two persons, things, actions, etc.;—freq. with verb of the than clause unexpressed: (a) in constructions with other pron.: non other ~, no one else than, none other than; on other (..) ~, another (..) than; (b) in constructions with adj. or quasi-adj.: diverse..~, other (..) ~, other-weies (other-wise) ~, different (..) from, different (..) than, other (..) than; also, with pron. subj. or direct obj. (or both) of the than clause unexpressed: different (..) from what, different (..) than that which [freq. difficult to distinguish from sense 2d.]; (c) in constructions with adv.: other (other-weies, other-wise) ~, differently from, differently than, otherwise than; also, with pron. subj. or direct obj. (or both) of the than clause unexpressed: differently from what, contrariwise to that which, etc.; (d) preceded by negative and with that conj. unexpressed: non obstacle ~, no obstacle other than that (sth. is the case).

(a) Used with adj. or quasi-adj. and followed by adj. modifier: other (other-wise) ~ god, other than good, bad; other tidinges..~ god, bad news; (b) used with other adj. to introduce a distinction between actions, the expression of which is not syntactically parallel: than; also linking prep. phrases in which the 2nd prep. is not expressed.

Preceded by other adj. and used to introduce a clause of manner: than as if, than as though.

As quasi-prep.: (a) preceded by other pron., other adj., or elles adj. as noun;—usu. with negative: but, except, save; also, (other..) than; ?besides, in addition to [quot. ?a1425]; (b) nought for..~, ?not for (any offers) other than (a specified amount) [may belong to sense 8.(a)].

Used in constructions with a comp. adj. or adv. to introduce a clause or phrase or to join adj. modifiers indicating the less desirable or the rejected alternative in an expression of preference or choice: (a) often with nonparallel syntax and freq. with unexpressed verb or other ellipsis in the than clause or phrase: er (levere, more, rathere, swithere) ~, er (levere, more, rathere)..~, rather (..) than, sooner (..) than, more readily (..) than, more willingly (..) than; also, rather than that [quots. c1390, a1450(a1425), & ?a1475]; (b) in phrases with verb plus levere or rathere and inf. or inf. phrase: ben levere..~, to prefer (to do sth.) rather than (to do sth. else); also with one or both of the infinitives unexpressed; also in impers. constructions; chesen levere..~, choose rather (to do sth.) than (to do sth. else); haven (willen) levere..~, willen rathere..~, prefer (to do sth.) rather than (to do sth. else); also, with nonparallel syntax: prefer (to do sth.) rather than (that sb. be in a state); ouen rathere..~, with 2nd inf. unexpressed: ought (to be called sth.) rather than (sth. else); (c) in phrases with verb plus levere and noun followed by inf. or that clause: haven (ben) levere ~ (..that, willen..levere ~, to prefer rather than to have (sth.) that (sb. would do sth., sth. were so, etc.); also in impers. constructions [quots. c1440(c1350) & a1475]; also, prefer (to do sth.) rather than have (sth.) [last quot.]; prefer to have (sth.) rather than (do sth.) [quot. a1375]; with verb unexpressed: levere ~..she wolde have wist hou that, rather than have (sth.) she would have preferred to have known how (sth. stood).

Used in constructions without a comp.: (a) to introduce a clause or phrase indicating the less desirable or the rejected alternative in an expression of preference or choice: rather than; also as quasi-prep. with noun, adj. as noun, or prep. phrase; (b) with adj. in the positive degree and infinitives: god (hit) is..~, it is good (to do sth.) rather than (to do sth. else); hou god is..~, how good it is (to do sth.) than (to do sth. else); (c) with adv. in the superlative degree: erest..~, rather..than.

Used to introduce a clause expressing exclusion from or exception to a stated condition: (a) following prep. phrases: in (o, of, on, upon) lesse ~, unless [see also les(se n.(2) 5.]; (b) in conjunctive phrases: lesse (unlesse) ~, unless [see also les(se conj. 2.(c)].

Used in conjunctive phrases to introduce a clause of negative purpose: lesse (leste) ~, lest, for fear that.

In conjunctive combinations introducing a clause expressing temporal or sequential relationship: (a) er (biforen, erest) ~, before;—occas. with verb of than clause unexpressed [see also er conj.(1) 1b.(b); this comb. often difficult to distinguish from thanne adv. 6b.(b) and than pron.(1) 3.(a)]; (b) er ~, until.

In conjunctive comb. expressing spatial or locational relationship: er ~, before.

As quasi-prep. in comb. with er used with temporal nouns, noun phrases, or pronouns: er ~, before, earlier than.

(a) Used in constructions with so adv. to introduce clauses indicating equivalence;—freq. with negative: never so..~, never so (sorry a man) as; so muche ~, as much as; also, as quasi-prep. with rel. clause following: no more..so mani ~, no more (ornaments) so abundant as; (b) used to introduce a clause preceded by swich adj. and a numeral expressing multiplication: swich ten ~, ten times as many as; swich thre ~, three times as high as.

(a) Used with negative as a conj. linking nouns, verbs, or phrases: or, nor; also, in correl. construction: nouther..~, neither..nor; (b) ?error for and conj.

As quasi-prep. with a comp. adj., adj. as noun, or adv. [sometimes difficult to distinguish from conjunctive usages with elliptical clause]: than: (a) governing an expression of a specified amount, period of time, etc. against which another, unspecified amount, period, etc. can be measured: mo (more, lesse) ~, more (less) than (a specified number, amount, etc.); mo thinges ~ on, more than one thing; more ~ of fourti yer, more than forty years old; no lengere (leng) ~, no longer than (a specified number of years); ofter ~ nin times (ones), more than nine times (once); (b) governing an expression of sufficiency or lack against which an unspecified or implied amount can be measured: mo nightes ~ inough, more than enough nights; more ~ inough, more than enough; more ~ a litel, more than a few, many; more ~ largesse, more than plenty; (c) governing an expression of a specific quantity in numerical computation: lesse ~, less by numerical subtraction than, fewer by numerical subtraction than [cp. les(se adj. comp. 2b.(b)]; more ~, more by numerical addition than; (d) governing an expression of a quality, rate, etc. against which an implied quality, rate, etc. can be measured: more ~, beyond; more ~ trot or pase, at a greater rate than a trot or pace.