least

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(lēst) pronunciation
adj. A superlative of little.
  1. Lowest in importance or rank.
    1. Smallest in magnitude or degree.
    2. Slightest or tiniest: didn't care the least bit.
adv. Superlative of little.
To or in the lowest or smallest degree.

n.
One that is the lowest or smallest in importance, rank, magnitude, or degree: The dinner menu is the least of my worries tonight. The least you can do is to be polite.

idioms:

at least

  1. According to the lowest possible assessment; not less than: waited at least an hour.
  2. In any event; anyway: You might at least answer.
in the least
  1. At all: I don't mind in the least.
least of all
  1. Particularly not: Nobody cared, least of all the manager.

[Middle English, from Old English lǣst.]



1. Least of all means 'especially not' and should only be used in negative contexts:
I am not going to try to play the role of prophet, least of all Jeremiah—Listener, 1973.


2. Use less, not least, when contrasting two things:
The latter aircraft was the less pleasant to fly—E. Brown, 1983 (an example that is exemplary with regard both to less and to latter).

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adj

Definition: slightest
Antonyms: greatest, most

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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: Lowest in importance. Also: Smallest in amount or size.

pronunciation When the river is deepest, it makes least noise. — Unknown

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For a list of words related to least, see:

  See crossword solutions for the clue Least.
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Dansk (Danish)
det. - det mindste
pron. - det mindste
adj. - mindst, ringest
adv. - mindst, ringest
n. - det mindste

idioms:

  • (not) in the least    ikke det mindste, på ingen måde, ikke på den mindste måde
  • at least    mindst, i det mindste, i hvert fald, da altid, det vil sige, eller rettere sagt
  • at the very least    i hvert fald, i det mindste
  • last but not least    sidst men ikke mindst
  • least of all    mindst af alt, mindst af alle
  • not least    ikke mindst, ikke at forglemme
  • the least bit    ganske lidt, en ganske lille smule
  • to say the least    mildest talt, for ikke at sige for meget

Nederlands (Dutch)
minst(e), kleinste, geringste

Français (French)
det. - (le) moins, (le ou la) moindre
pron. - le moins, du moins
adj. - (le, la) plus petit(e), le moindre
adv. - le moins, le moindre
n. - (le) moins, moindre, en aucune

idioms:

  • at least    au moins, du moins
  • at the very least    au moins
  • last but not least    le dernier mais non le moindre, enfin et surtout
  • least of all    encore moins que
  • not in the least    le moins du monde, du tout, absolument pas
  • not least    pas du tout, surtout
  • the least bit    le moindre morceau

Deutsch (German)
adj. - wenigst, geringst, kleinst
adv. - am wenigsten
det. - geringste, wenigste, kleinste
pron. - geringste, wenigste, kleinste
n. - der,das,die Geringste, der,das,die Wenigste

idioms:

  • at least    mindestens, wenigstens
  • at the very least    allermindestens
  • last but not least    nicht zuletzt
  • least of all    am allerwenigsten
  • not in the least    durchaus nicht!
  • not least    nicht zuletzt
  • the least bit    das kleinste bißchen

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - ελάχιστος, παραμικρός, μικρότατος, λιγότερος
adv. - ήκιστα, ελάχιστα

idioms:

  • (not) in the least    διόλου, καθόλου, ούτε/ουδέ κατ' ελάχιστο(ν)
  • at least    τουλάχιστο
  • at the very least    τουλάχιστο, το λιγότερο
  • last but not least    τελευταίος αλλ' εξ ίσου σημαντικός
  • least of all    και πολύ περισσότερο, και μάλιστα
  • not least    ιδιαίτερα δε
  • the least bit    καθόλου, (ούτε) κατ' ελάχιστον
  • to say the least    για να μην πω (τίποτα) παραπάνω/περισσότερο, κατ' ελάχιστο, τουλάχιστο

Italiano (Italian)
il meno

idioms:

  • (not) in the least    per niente
  • at least    per lo meno
  • at the very least    almeno
  • last but not least    ultimo ma non meno importante
  • least of all    tanto meno
  • not least    non meno
  • the least bit    assolutamente
  • to say the least    per dir poco

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - o menor, o mínimo (m), a menor quantidade (f)
adv. - menos

idioms:

  • (not) in the least    de jeito nenhum, nem de longe
  • at least    pelo menos
  • at the very least    no mínimo
  • last but not least    último, mas não menos importante
  • least of all    muito menos
  • not least    não menos
  • the least bit    nem um pouco
  • to say the least    é o mínimo que se pode dizer

Русский (Russian)
наименьший, меньше всего, минимальное количество

idioms:

  • (not) in the least    вовсе нет
  • at least    по крайней мере
  • at the very least    в самом крайнем случае
  • last but not least    последний по порядку, но не по важности
  • least of all    менее всего
  • not least    не в самую последнюю очередь
  • the least bit    ни в малейшей степени
  • to say the least    по меньшей мере

Español (Spanish)
det. - menor, más pequeño
pron. - menos
adj. - menor, más pequeño, mínimo, insignificante
adv. - en el menor grado
n. - lo más pequeño, lo menos, al menos, de ningún modo

idioms:

  • at least    al menos, por lo menos, a lo menos
  • at the very least    como mínimo
  • last but not least    el último pero no el menos importante
  • least of all    sobre todo, y menos que a nadie
  • not in the least    en lo más mínimo, de ninguna manera, de ningún modo
  • not least    especialmente
  • the least bit    en absoluto

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - minst
adv. - minst

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
最少的, 最小的, 最少, 最没有, 最小限度, 最小

idioms:

  • (not) in the least    一点也不
  • at least    最低限度, 至少
  • at the very least    至少
  • last but not least    最后但并不是最不重要的
  • least of all    最不
  • not least    一部分地, 相当重要地
  • the least bit    半点的
  • to say the least    退一步说

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
det. - 最少的, 最小的
pron. - 最少
adj. - 最少的, 最小的
adv. - 最沒有, 最少
n. - 最少, 最小限度, 最小

idioms:

  • (not) in the least    一點也不
  • at least    最低限度, 至少
  • at the very least    至少
  • last but not least    最後但並不是最不重要的
  • least of all    最不
  • not least    一部分地, 相當重要地
  • the least bit    半點的
  • to say the least    退一步說

한국어 (Korean)
det. - 최소의
pron. - 가장 적은 것
adj. - 가장 작은 , 최소의, 보잘 것 없는
adv. - 가장 적게, 아주 근소하게
n. - 가장 작은 것 , 보잘 것 없는 것

idioms:

  • at least    최소한
  • at the very least    최저로 어림해도
  • the least bit    극소의
  • to say the least    줄잡아 말해도 , 적어도

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 最も少ない, 最小の
adv. - 最も少なく, 最も…でない
n. - 最少, 最小

idioms:

  • (not) in the least    少しも~でない
  • at least    少なくとも, せめて
  • least of all    最も…でない
  • line/path of least resistance    最も楽な方法
  • not least    部分的に, 少なからず
  • the least bit    ほんの少し

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) الأدنى, الأصغر, الأقل (ظرف) المقدار الأقل, أقل ما يكون‏

עברית (Hebrew)
det. - ‮הקטן ביותר, הכי מעט, במידה הכי קטנה, הכי פחות חשוב‬
pron. - ‮הקטן ביותר, הכי מעט‬
adj. - ‮זעיר ביותר‬
adv. - ‮במידה הכי קטנה‬
n. - ‮הכמות הקטה ביותר‬


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