The AI-powered English dictionary
The most little; the smallest amount or quantity of something. quotations examples
The least water we could find there was 4 fathoms, which bears from the point S.E., and is distant 1½ mile.
1857, Edmund March Blunt, The American Coast Pilot: Containing Directions for the Principal Harbors, E. & G.W. Blunt, page 135
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, the black wreathings of the smoke are still discernible through the white covering.
1847, John Duncan, Duncan's Travels
“Well,” I says, “I cal'late a body could get used to Tophet if he stayed there long enough.” ¶ She flared up; the least mite of a slam at Doctor Wool was enough to set her going.
1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 5, in Mr. Pratt's Patients
Charles had not been employed above six months at Darracott Place, but he was not such a whopstraw as to make the least noise in the performance of his duties when his lordship was out of humour.
1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax
Comparison of the four bogie designs shows that the Rugby-built A.E.I. bogie has the least number of components and a minimum of metallic wearing surfaces.
1960 December, “The first hundred 25 kV a.c. electric locomotives for B.R.”, in Trains Illustrated, page 727
Light does not need to know in advance which is the path of least time because it takes all paths from its source to its destination.
2004, Jim Baggott, Beyond Measure: Modern Physics, Philosophy, and the Meaning of Quantum Theory, Oxford University Press, page 48
negative superlative
Used for forming superlatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the superlative by adding -est. examples
In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all others. examples
plural leasts
(philosophy) Something of the smallest possible extent; an indivisible unit. examples
(archaic, outside of fixed terms) superlative degree of little; smallest
(informal, nonstandard) At least. quotations
“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.”
1876, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter VI, in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Hartford, Conn.: The American Publishing Company, page 65
What a stupid white privileged POS I am! Least I call myself out.
2019 December, Justin Blackburn, The Bisexual Christian Suburban Failure Enlightening Bipolar Blues, page 79