least

[least]

The superlative of `little' that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by `the'; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

...

In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all others; as, to reward those who least deserve it.

Adjective S.
having or being distinguished by diminutive size; "the least bittern"

Adjective S.
minimal in magnitude; "lowest wages"; "the least amount of fat allowed"; "the smallest amount"

Adverb
used to form the superlative; "The garter snake is the least dangerous snake"


a.
Smallest, either in size or degree; shortest; lowest; most unimportant; as, the least insect; the least mercy; the least space.

adv.
In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all others; as, to reward those who least deserve it.

conj.
See Lest, conj.


Least

Least, adv. In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all others; as, to reward those who least deserve it.

Least

Least, conj. See Lest, conj. [Obs.] Spenser.

In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all others; as, to reward those who least deserve it.

See Lest, conj.

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Usage Examples

Age is getting to know all the ways the world turns, so that if you cannot turn the world the way you want, you can at least get out of the way so you won't get run over.

A whopping 89 percent of buyers start their home search online. How your house looks online is the modern equivalent of 'curb appeal.' Rent a wide-angle lens and good lighting, get rid of your clutter and post at least eight great photos to win the beauty contest.

All this stuff is so mind-blowing to me that I get to do in my life. Throwing the first pitch out at the White Sox game on a random Wednesday? Like who am I? How did I get this life? I'm glad I'm not jaded, and little kids are the least jaded people in the entire world, so it's fun to be around people that still find wonder in how cool things are.

Actually, I didn't make the claim that Ruby follows the principle of least surprise. Someone felt the design of Ruby follows that philosophy, so they started saying that. I didn't bring that up, actually.

A black agenda is jobs, jobs, jobs, quality education, investment in infrastructure and strong democratic regulation of corporations. The black agenda, at its best, looks at America from the vantage point of the least of these and asks what's best for all.

A child's education should begin at least one hundred years before he is born.

All living beings, not just animals, but plants and microorganisms, perceive. To survive, an organic being must perceive - it must seek, or at least recognize, food and avoid environmental danger.

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, brain and spinal cord disorders, diabetes, cancer, at least 58 diseases could potentially be cured through stem cell research, diseases that touch every family in America and in the world.

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the least care of all to acquire.

Misspelled Form

least, kleast, oleast, pleast, :least, keast, oeast, peast, :east, lkeast, loeast, lpeast, l:east, lweast, l3east, l4east, lreast, lseast, ldeast, lwast, l3ast, l4ast, lrast, lsast, ldast, lewast, le3ast, le4ast, lerast, lesast, ledast, leqast, lewast, lesast, lezast, leqst, lewst, lesst, lezst, leaqst, leawst, leasst, leazst, leaast, leawst, leaest, leadst, leaxst, leazst, leaat, leawt, leaet, leadt, leaxt, leazt, leasat, leaswt, leaset, leasdt, leasxt, leaszt, leasrt, leas5t, leas6t, leasyt, leasgt, leasr, leas5, leas6, leasy, leasg, leastr, least5, least6, leasty, leastg.

Other Usage Examples

A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit.

Although your knowledge is weak and small, you need not be silent: since you cannot be judges be at least witnesses.

A fact must be assimilated with, or discriminated fromm, some other fact or facts, in order to be raised to the dignity of a truth, and made to convey the least knowledge to the mind.

And at least in poetry you should feel free to lie. That is, not to lie, but to imagine what you want, to follow the direction of the poem.

Among the many reasons assignable for the sad decay of true Christianity, perhaps the neglecting to assemble ourselves together, in religious societies, may not be one of the least.

A generous basic state pension is the least a civilized society should offer those who have worked hard and saved through their whole lives.

All business success rests on something labeled a sale, which at least momentarily weds company and customer.

Adele Adkins' retro-soul debut, '19', was striking less for her songs than for that voice: a voluptuous, slightly parched alto that swooped and fluttered like a Dusty Springfield student trying to upstage her teacher, or at least update the rules.

Agency by agency, we frequently have lost a bit of ground, at least to inflation-but had it not been for the efforts we've made to educate people about the importance of science, technology and advanced education, those predictions very well might have come true.

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