What does "the few" mean?

The British and Allied fighter pilots during the Battle of Britain in World War II.

What is a synonym for "the few"?

Common synonyms include: a small number, chosen few, elite few, elite minority, few people, handful.

name

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Proper Noun

1
The British and Allied fighter pilots during the Battle of Britain in World War II. historical

From a speech by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few".