How many is a few?

[Hoover Attack]

How many is a few?

[Max B Gold]

Probably more than a couple but not that much more.

[Hoover Attack]

I need a few more replies before I can draw any conclusions but it's looking good so far.

[Rubex Kube]

between 4 & 8. 2 is a couple, 5 is a handfull 10 is 2 handfulls 12 a dozen

[Hoover Attack]

5 is a handfull 10 is 2 handfulls

I've never heard that load of tosh before.

What about several?

[Dunners]

3 or 4.

[CEB]

What nonce put six?

[Hoover Attack]

What nonce put six?

[Brigs]

5 is a handfull 10 is 2 handfulls

I've never heard that load of tosh before.

What about several?

You've not worked with wood, plasterboard using nails & screws then on a building site?

[CEB]

Here’s the answer - if your partner is popping to the shops, and she says “do you want anything?”, if you say “a couple of beers”, you mean two. Three is a bonus but not expected.
If you say “a few beers” and get three, you’d feel shortchanged but not able to say anything cos you didn’t specify. Four would be exactly right, five would seem like overkill. Ergo, “few” means “four” if you need to put a number on it, but the non specificity of it means that you can’t complain about a bit of leeway either way

[Hoover Attack]

You've not worked with wood, plasterboard using nails & screws then on a building site?

I've worked with wood but not on a building site, no.

[Brigs]

You've not worked with wood, plasterboard using nails & screws then on a building site?

I've worked with wood but not on a building site, no.

So you wouldn't of heard chippys or joiners etc
using those terms. Several would be between 11 & 25 .
Loads is 25 plus.

[Brigs]

Here’s the answer - if your partner is popping to the shops, and she says “do you want anything?”, if you say “a couple of beers”, you mean two. Three is a bonus but not expected.
If you say “a few beers” and get three, you’d feel shortchanged but not able to say anything cos you didn’t specify. Four would be exactly right, five would seem like overkill. Ergo, “few” means “four” if you need to put a number on it, but the non specificity of it means that you can’t complain about a bit of leeway either way

If your partner had a box of malteasers & you said Yes,
Wouldn't 4 seem a little tight fisted of her?

[CEB]

And I said yes to what?

[CEB]

Anyway, if she said do you want a “few” I would expect four, and I’d decline on the basis that I’d end up wanting more or going to the shops to buy a couple of packets.

Now if she said “do you want SOME?”, well then I’d be intrigued as to whether she was up for sharing the whole packet or not, but I’d expect 33% of the contents

[Long slender neck]

Her?

[Dunners]

When somebody asks you if you want some of their Maltesers without specifying exactly how many they mean by that, then they deserve everything that's coming their way.

[Brigs]

Anyway, if she said do you want a “few” I would expect four, and I’d decline on the basis that I’d end up wanting more or going to the shops to buy a couple of packets.

Now if she said “do you want SOME?”, well then I’d be intrigued as to whether she was up for sharing the whole packet or not, but I’d expect 33% of the contents

If my mates said are we all out for a few beers tonight,
4 would be a very disappointing Friday night out

[CEB]

If you said it to your partner, you’d be telling her you’re having 4 at the most

[Dunners]

Anyway, if she said do you want a “few” I would expect four, and I’d decline on the basis that I’d end up wanting more or going to the shops to buy a couple of packets.

Now if she said “do you want SOME?”, well then I’d be intrigued as to whether she was up for sharing the whole packet or not, but I’d expect 33% of the contents

If my mates said are we all out for a few beers tonight,
4 would be a very disappointing Friday night out

Such numerical reference rules simply do not apply in the context of beer though. Everyone knows that when you say a "few" beers, that you definitely do not mean four. It's the exception that proves the rule.

[Brigs]

When somebody asks you if you want some of their Maltesers without specifying exactly how many they mean by that, then they deserve everything that's coming their way.

Huh?
Are they letting you take or handing them to you as I meant?

A few is surely subject to the circumstances we find ourselves in doesn't it?

[Dunners]

When somebody asks you if you want some of their Maltesers without specifying exactly how many they mean by that, then they deserve everything that's coming their way.

Huh?
Are they letting you take or handing them to you as I meant?

A few is surely subject to the circumstances we find ourselves in doesn't it?

The point I'm trying to make is that, when it comes to Maltesers, the gloves are coming off and it's everyone for themselves.

[Celtient]

A couple of beers is actually 3 or 4. A few beers is 5 to 8 and a good few beers is anything above 8

[Brigs]

Anyway, if she said do you want a “few” I would expect four, and I’d decline on the basis that I’d end up wanting more or going to the shops to buy a couple of packets.

Now if she said “do you want SOME?”, well then I’d be intrigued as to whether she was up for sharing the whole packet or not, but I’d expect 33% of the contents

If my mates said are we all out for a few beers tonight,
4 would be a very disappointing Friday night out

Such numerical reference rules simply do not apply in the context of beer though. Everyone knows that when you say a "few" beers, that you definitely do not mean four. It's the exception that proves the rule.

If I asked my Labourer for a few screws to attach a piece of plasterboard & he handed me 4, he'd be sacked.
If you asked for a few beans on a fry up 4 would entitle you to slap the cafe owner
4 beers isn't the only exception to the rule at all. As I said previously, it has to account for circumstance.

Your point is taken regards to malteasers however it isn't only 4 beers that is the exception to the rule.

[gshaw]

What about several?

7 as I take the start of the word literally