General
canny few
What does canny few mean?
A fair number or quite a lot of something.
"There were a canny few folk at the match."
Origin
'Canny' (fair/considerable) plus 'few'.
Frequently asked questions
What does canny few mean?
It means quite a lot or a fair number of something — the opposite of what 'few' alone suggests.
Why does 'canny' change the meaning of 'few'?
In North East dialect 'canny' means fair or considerable, so 'a canny few' is actually a good number.
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