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Based on the comments from Tsuoyshi Ito's answer to [Translation of
竜すらも恐るるに足らない](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/4082/542),
`恐るるに足らない`/`恐るるに足りない` is a set phrase meaning "not worth fearing".

Based on my understanding of 一段 verbs like `足りる`, negation will yield `足りない`.

How do I get to `足` **`ら`**`ない` ?
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2011-12-27T01:11:19.610
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2011-12-27T02:18:36.117
2017-04-13T12:43:44.740
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question
grammar conjugations
What is the underlying grammar in the difference between `足らない` and `足りない`?
There are two verbs: a 五段 verb 足る and an 一段 verb 足りる. They both have the same
meaning. According to the Daijisen
[[1](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/139289/m0u/)], 足る was the original,
and 足りる started being used in the early modern / Edo era:

> 四段活用の「足る」から転じ、近世から江戸で用いられるようになったもの。
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2011-12-27T02:18:36.117
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2011-12-27T02:18:36.117
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answer