'not a few', 'some few', 'quite a few', 'a good few', 'a fair few'

'not a few', 'quite a few', 'a fair few' 또는 'a good few'는 '상당히 많은 수(considerable number)'를 의미한다. 

 

cf. 'some few' 크지 않은 수(not a considerable number)를 의미한다. 

 

형용사로(adjectively), 명사로(as noun)로 쓰이며, 'of'와 결합하여 보충어(complement)^[각주:1]로도 사용된다.

 

▶ Independents, Republicans and not a few Democrats. [2010 Independent]

 

▶ A John Hop tells me not a few prefer petrol. [1933 Bulletin (Sydney)]  

 

▶ Not a few of those are given their money's worth. [2009 Art Q. Winter]

출처: OED

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▶ That news interested me not a few.

'상당하게 (quite a few)'의 의미(ref). 

 

▶ There were hundreds of protesters, not a few of whom were women.

he must have cooked a good few dinners over the years. (ref.)

 

 

 

1. 보어, 보충어, 부가어의 구별은 https://workro.tistory.com/215 참고. [본문으로]