Sentence:  In Dunston the rent would run close to two hundred a month ; in Medfield , perhaps twenty-five <WSD>less</WSD> , not all of it paid by Thayer , who could charge off one room on his expense account . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  (comparative of `little' usually used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning not as great in amount or degree