摘要：not a few既有not, 又有few，这就不免让人觉得它要表达“少”。可是，它的not是对a few的否定，即它的含义是“不是几个，不是一星半点”，而是“相当多”，如

not究竟否定谁，有时候一眼看上去，不那么想当然。

not a few既有not, 又有few，这就不免让人觉得它要表达“少”。可是，它的not是对a few的否定，即它的含义是“不是几个，不是一星半点”，而是“相当多”，如

【例句1】There were hundreds of protesters, not a few of whom were women. （有数百名抗议者，其中不少是女性。） [朗文当代英语词典]

【例句2】I've made this argument, and not a few people would disagree with me. （我已经提出了这个论点，不少人会不同意我的观点。） [柯林斯高级学者辞典]

quite有“相当、非常、的确、彻底”之义，感觉它应强化随后的词，然而quite a few的含义是“相当多”,而不是“很少”，如

【例句3】I've been to Paris quite a few times. （我去过巴黎好几次了。 ）[剑桥高级学者辞典]

【例句4】Quite a few people are going to arrive early. （相当多的人会提前到达。）[牛津高级学者辞典]

【例句5】She was quite a few years older than her husband. （她比丈夫大大好多。）[剑桥高级学者辞典]

【例句6】I know quite a few people who have had the same problem. (我认识不少有同样问题的人。 )[剑桥高级学者辞典]

【例句7】Quite a few towns are now banning cars from their shopping centres. (不少城镇现在禁止汽车进入购物中心。)[朗文当代英语词典]

【例句8】Lots of people at the club are under 20, but there are quite a few who aren't. （俱乐部里很多人都不到20岁，但也有不少人不是。）[剑桥高级学者辞典]

来源：NBD汽车资讯