than S1 W1 / ð ə n ; strong ðæn / 连词 , 介词

1 used when comparing two things, people, situations etc :

Natalie was prettier than her sister.

You need that money more than I do.

There were more people there than I expected.

If it costs more than $60, I won’t buy it.

She had woken even earlier than usual.

Divorce is more common than it was a generation ago.

2 other than except for a particular person or thing :

We never go to church other than for funerals and weddings.

We know he lived in Fleet Road, but other than that we don’t know much about him.

3 would rather/would sooner … than used to say that you prefer one thing to another :

I’d rather drive than go by train.

She said she’d rather die than live in the city.

4 no sooner/hardly had … than used to say that one thing happens immediately after another thing :

No sooner had I got into the house than the phone rang.

Hardly had they reached Edinburgh than they were ordered to return to London.