Why does ‘few’ sometimes mean a lot “There’s quite a few ducks in the pond.” and sometimes a little “There’s only a few ducks in the pond.”?

Question

Why does ‘few’ sometimes mean a lot “There’s quite a few ducks in the pond.” and sometimes a little “There’s only a few ducks in the pond.”?

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Answer 1

“Quite the ___” puts a very positive connatation on the word: he has quite the reputation, that’s quite the performance, I’m quite sure they’re right.

“Only ___” is a diminutive, emphasizing the lack or smallness of something: it’s only a toy, he’s only a waiter, she’s only 5’2”.

“Few” is commonly used to mean a group of things, despite the dictionary definition. “Quite a few” emphasizes the number, but in a positive way, meaning many. “Only a few” emphasizes the number in a negative way, to focus on its smallness and insignificance.