See Also: QUO MINUS(law)
Minus(money)
minus(medicine)
Minus(finance)
minus(dictionary)
minus 1, preposition(dictionary)
Zero minus tick(finance)
minus 2, noun(dictionary)
Minus tick(finance)
minus 3, adjective(dictionary)

minus (iou)



minus preposition, noun, adverb, & adjective. L15.
[Latin, use as adverb of neut. of minor adjective: see MINOR adjective & noun.]
A. preposition.
I.
Made less by, reduced by, with the subtraction or deduction of, (a specified number, amount, or proportion); below zero by (a specified amount). Also (colloq.), lacking, deprived of, without. L15.
J. Marquand His left hand was..minus three fingers. R. Holmes A snowy night with a temperature of minus eighteen degrees. Which? The cost of replacing the items..minus a deduction.
II.
As the name of the mathematical symbol , signifying a negative quantity or quality, something subtracted, etc. (part of speech unfixed and ambiguous). L16.
alpha minus, beta minus, gamma minus: see ALPHA etc. omega minus: see OMEGA 2.
b. noun.
The mathematical symbol . Also minus sign. M17.
A quantity subtracted; a negative quantity; a loss, a deficiency, a disadvantage. M17
Daily Telegraph The current account had been in deficit with a minus of 75 million. American Speech For almost every minus, there is a compensating plus.
C. adverb. (Charged) negatively. M18.
D. adjective.
Negatively charged. L18.
Of a quantity: negative, preceded by the minus sign; of the nature of a negative quantity or a deficit. Also (colloq.), lacking; insignificant; non-existent, absent. E19.
Chronicle He was considerably minus at the last Newmarket meeting. R. Fry My recommendation would generally prove a minus quantity. Moneypaper A tendency to exaggerate plus and minus points.
Printing & Photography. (Followed by the name of a colour) designating a complementary colour, i.e. that of white light from which a specified colour has been removed. E20.