/liːst/, /list/
OriginContraction of at least.
- Chiefly used with abstract nouns: less than all others in extent or size; littlest, smallest.
“least common multiple”
“Of two ils chose the least, while choise lyeth in lot.”
“At the end of it [a passage], tovvards the theatre, 'tis lighted by a ſmall candle, the light of vvhich is almoſt loſt before you get half-vvay dovvn, but near the door—'tis more for ornament than uſe”
- Of two or more animals or plants with the same name: the smaller or smallest.
“least weasel”
“The firſt is a very ſlender plant hauing a fevve ſmall leaues like the leaſt Chickvveede, grovving in little tufts, from the midſt vvhereof riſeth vp a ſmall ſtalke, nine inches long; […]”
“[T]he floures of a purple colour, ſpotted on the inſide vvith vvhite, and of a brighter purple than the reſt of the floure, faſhioned like the ſmallest Anirrhinum, or leaſt Snapdragon, […]”
- archaicLowest in importance or status; most insignificant or unimportant.
“[M]ans reaſon is ſo farre off from being the meaſurer of faith, vvhich very far exceedeth nature, that it is not ſo much as the meaſurer of nature, & of the leaſt creatures vvhich lie farre vnderneath”
“But if I thriue, the gaine of my attempt, / The leaſt of you, ſhall ſhare his part thereof.”
“And thou Bethlehem in the land of Juda, art not the leaſt among the Princes of Juda: for out of thee ſhall come a Gouernour, that ſhall rule my people Iſrael.”
- obsoleteFollowed by an agent noun: of a person: who does some action to the smallest degree.
- Smallest in amount or extent.
“He earns the least money in his family.”
“Of all the sisters, she has the least patience.”
“Th' Italian Chiefs, and Princes, joyn their Povv'rs: / Nor leaſt in Number, nor in Name the laſt, / Your ovvn brave Subjects have your Cauſe embrac'd.”
- Followed by a plural noun: the smallest number of; the fewest.
“Whichever queue contains the least items by the time this logic branch is reached will be executed first.”
- Any, no matter how small in amount or extent.
“not even the least amount”
“It is indicative of his true character that he could not manage to show even the least bit of courtesy in such a situation.”
“My ſelfe an vtter ſtranger, one from vvhom / You neuer had, or can expect leaſt good.”
- negative, superlativeIn a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree.
“My best routine was the one I had practised the least.”
“I don’t much like housework, and doing the dishes least of all.”
“That decision rewards those who least deserve it.”
- negative, superlativeUsed to form superlatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the superlative by adding -est.
“It was the least surprising thing.”
- Preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little; the lowest-ranking or most insignificant person or (sometimes) group of people.
“even the least of”
“The pastor preached that even the least of God’s creatures deserves freedom from needless or idle cruelty.”
“Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.”
- Something of the smallest possible extent; an indivisible unit; a minimum.
- Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little; the smallest amount or extent of something.
“I’m giving least of all towards her present.”
“To have demolished and rebuilt the walls, would have been a very costly expedient, and as the least of two evils, the painter's brush was resorted to; here and there however, above some of the windows”
- informal, nonstandardAt least.
““Why he took and dipped his hand in a rotten stump where the rain water was.” “In the day time?” “Certainly.” “With his face to the stump?” “Yes. Least I reckon so.””
“What a stupid white privileged POS I am! Least I call myself out.”
Formsleasts(plural) · 'least(alternative)
Source: Wiktionary