несколько - how many people ARE there?

I really want to have a better understanding of this word in particular, for though I have managed to step around it by using it where it seemed appropriate, and have surely used it properly by *accident* at least once or twice =), I still am confused by its meaning..

Does it mean "a few" when it refers to numbers of things, like quantity? And then "several" or "rather" when it's used in description? Here's where I draw that from: (from wiktionary.org)::

Adverb несколько (néskol’ko) somewhat, slightly, rather

1. 
   
   • Он был не́сколько удивлён — He was rather surprised.

Pronoun
несколько (néskol’ko) a few, several, some

• Не́сколько люде́й пришло́ — Several people came.

Now... несколько.. не -> сколько = not how many/amount/count = eng. "countless"? This works to explain/pnemonize the "several" meaning.. but.. as far as the 'few' meaning... perhaps: "countless" == "beneath the count" == "not count-worthy, not worthy to count" = "(too few) to be worthy to count"? That's the only way I can figure out the 'few' meaning..

I would have loved to have said that I figured this one out on my own, but a little clarification would be helpful if I have misunderstood it. In English these two concepts feel like they at least CAN be opposites - is 'несколько' too many people for the party, or not? =)

Thanks in anticipatory advance =)

I'd say that несколько is above 2 and below 10. More or less.

Sometimes prefix не- (when stressed) has not negative meaning but a meaning of uncertainty. некто = someone, нечто = something, некоторые = "some of", некогда = "once upon a time" etc.

So несколько can mean several (uncertain quantity) or "in some uncertain degree", which is somewhat, slightly, rather.

Спасибо it-ogo! Это именно то, что мне нужно узнать. Теперь я могу обещать, я сделаю не так <<несколько>> ошибок. =)