|
| least [ leest ] CORE MEANING: the smallest or lowest quantity or degree |
| Definition: |
| |
1. adjective smallest amount possible: a smaller amount than anything or anyone else
  He went up the steps without showing the least anxiety.
what I liked least of all
The least said the soonest mended.
|
2. adverb to lesser degree than others: having less of a particular quality than most other people or things
one of the least appealing movies of the year
|
3. adjective extremely small: used to emphasize that something is so small as to be almost nonexistent
She didn't have the least idea of how to begin.
|
4. adverb to smallest extent: indicates that something happens or is true to a smaller degree than at any other time
I won the award when I was least expecting it.
|
5. pron minimum: used to indicate the minimum that should be done in a situation
The least you can do is apologize.
|
| [ Old English lǣst, contraction of lǣsest< lǣs "less"] |
|
at least
1. not less than an amount
It'll take at least two days to finish.
We traveled at least 45 miles without a rest.
2. in any case and despite anything else
At least you still have a job.
3. indicates a correction or change
I know the answer, at least I think I do.
|
least of all emphasizes that a negative applies to one case in particular
No one must know of our discovery - least of all our competitors.
|
not (in) the least emphasizes that something is not at all the case
He's not in the least like his sister.
I'm not the least bit tired.
|
not least emphasizes something particularly important
suffered setbacks, not least a reduction in state funding
|
to say the least without exaggerating or overstating the case
We were surprised at her rudeness, to say the least.
|
