- least
- [[t]li͟ːst[/t]]
♦(Least is often considered to be the superlative form of little.)1) PHRASE: PHR amount, amount PHR You use at least to say that a number or amount is the smallest that is possible or likely and that the actual number or amount may be greater. The forms at the least and at the very least are also used.
...a dinner menu featuring at least 15 different sorts of fish...
Aim to have at least half a pint of milk each day...
About two-thirds of adults consult their doctor at least once a year...
Normally it has only had eleven or twelve members in all. Now it will have seventeen at the very least.
2) PHRASE: PHR with cl/group You use at least to say that something is the minimum that is true or possible. The forms at the least and at the very least are also used.She could take a nice holiday at least...
He is at least content that there will be no immediate use of force...
At the least, I needed some sleep...
His possession of classified documents in his home was, at the very least, a violation of Navy security regulations.
3) PHRASE: PHR with cl You use at least to indicate an advantage that exists in spite of the disadvantage or bad situation that has just been mentioned.We've no idea what his state of health is but at least we know he is still alive...
If something awful happens to you at least you can write about it.
4) PHRASE: PHR with cl/group You use at least to indicate that you are correcting or changing something that you have just said. The forms at the least and at the very least are also used.It's not difficult to get money for research or at least it's not always difficult...
The police say his death was an accident, officially at least...
They didn't actually like the magazine very much, but they bought it or, at the least, borrowed it from each other.
5) ADJ-SUPERL: the ADJ n You use the least to mean a smaller amount than anyone or anything else, or the smallest amount possible.I try to offend the least amount of people possible...
If you like cheese, go for the ones with the least fat.
Ant:PRON: the PRONLeast is also a pronoun.On education funding, Japan performs best but spends the least per student.
ADV-SUPERL: the ADV after vLeast is also an adverb.Damming the river may end up benefitting those who need it the least.
6) ADV-SUPERL: ADV adj/adv You use least to indicate that someone or something has less of a particular quality than most other things of its kind.The least experienced athletes had caused a great many false-starts through the day's proceedings...
He was one of the least warm human beings I had ever met.
...the least technically accomplished car in Europe.
Ant:7) ADJ-SUPERL: the ADJ n (emphasis) You use the least to emphasize the smallness of something, especially when it hardly exists at all.I don't have the least idea of what you're talking about...
They neglect their duty at the least hint of fun elsewhere...
The bosses paid less than they had promised and at the least complaint went to the police.
8) ADV-SUPERL: ADV with v You use least to indicate that something is true or happens to a smaller degree or extent than anything else or at any other time.He had a way of throwing her off guard with his charm when she least expected it.
Ant:9) ADJ-SUPERL: ADJ of def-n (emphasis) You use least in structures where you are emphasizing that a particular situation or event is much less important or serious than other possible or actual ones.Having to get up at three o'clock every morning was the least of her worries...
Although three days isn't very long, shortage of time was the least of his problems...
At that moment, they were among the least of the concerns of the government.
10) PRON: the PRON cl You use the least in structures where you are stating the minimum that should be done in a situation, and suggesting that more should really be done.Well, the least you can do, if you won't help me yourself, is to tell me where to go instead...
The least they could have given me was half a day to rest...
The least his hotel could do is provide a little privacy.
●PHRASE You use expressions like `that's the least that I can do' to mean that you are very willing to do it, or to acknowledge someone's thanks.(formulae)Why not relax and let me teach you how to windsurf? It's the least I can do...
I want to help - it's the least I can do for the girl who saved my brother...
`Right,' she said, chuckling. `Thanks, anyway.' `It was the least I could do'.
11) PHRASE: with brd-neg, PHR with cl, PHR adj (emphasis) You can use in the least and the least bit to emphasize a negative.I'm not like that at all. Not in the least...
I'm not in the least bit touched by the Marilyn Monroe kind of beauty...
Alice wasn't the least bit frightened.
12) PHRASE: PHR with cl/group You use last but not least to say that the last person or thing to be mentioned is as important as all the others....her four sons, Christopher, twins Daniel and Nicholas, and last but not least 2-year-old Jack.
13) PHRASE: with brd-neg, PHR cl/group (emphasis) You can use least of all after a negative statement to emphasize that it applies especially to the person or thing mentioned.No one ever reads these articles, least of all me...
Such a speech should never have been made, least of all by a so called responsible politician.
14) PHRASE: PHR cl/group (emphasis) You can use not least to emphasize a particularly important example or reason.Dieting itself can be bad for you, not least because it is a cause of chronic stress...
What is somewhat more curious is the grip football has had on some Europeans, not least the British.
15) PHRASE: PHR with cl (emphasis) You can use to say the least to suggest that a situation is actually much more extreme or serious than you say it is.Accommodation was basic to say the least...
Some members of the public can be a bit abusive to say the least.
English dictionary. 2008.
