least

least¹ W1S1 [li:st] determiner, pron

1.) at least

a) not less than a particular number or amount

▪ It will take you at least 20 minutes to get there.

▪ He had at least £100,000 in savings.

at the (very) least

(=not less than and probably much more than)

▪ It would cost $1 million at the very least.

b) even if something better is not true or is not done

▪ At least he didn't lie to me.

▪ I don't expect you to pay me, but you could at least cover my expenses.

▪ The house still needed a lot of work, but at least the kitchen was finished.

c) used when you are correcting or changing something that you have just said

▪ They all knew I was on their side. At least, that's what they said.

▪ I made everything perfectly clear - or at least I thought I did.

2.) at the (very) least

used when mentioning the least extreme thing that happens, is needed etc

▪ Computer viruses are at the very least annoying and often actually destructive.

3.) the least

a) the smallest amount

▪ Women work in those sectors of the job market which pay the least.

▪ Which method causes the least damage to the environment?

b) used to emphasize how small something is, especially when it hardly exists at all

▪ I haven't the least idea what you are talking about.

▪ He used to wake at the least noise.

c) used when you are saying what someone should do in a situation, and suggesting that they should really do more

▪ The least you could do is give me her phone number.

▪ The least they could have given her is some money towards the rent.

4.) not the least/not in the least/not the least bit

none at all, or not at all

▪ I tried to convince them, but they weren't the least interested.

▪ I'm not in the least afraid of you any more.

▪ His voice was alert, not the least bit sleepy.

5.) to say the least

used to show that something is worse or more serious than you are actually saying

▪ His teaching methods were strange, to say the least.

6.) the least of sb's worries/problems/troubles/concerns

something that someone is not worried about because there are other more important problems

▪ What I looked like was the least of my problems.

7.) it's the least I can do

spoken used to say that you are very willing to do something or to reply to someone's thanks

▪ I'll look after them - it's the least I can do.

→last but not least at ↑last² (3)

least ²

least² adv

1.) less than anything or anyone else

≠ ↑most

▪ The journey would impose extra expense on those least able to afford it.

▪ It is quite amazing what turns up when you are least expecting it.

▪ He's my least favourite member of staff.

2.) least of all

especially not a particular person or thing

▪ She hardly ever lost her temper - least of all with Anne.

3.) not least

formal used to emphasize that something is important

▪ My mother was upset about his appearance here, not least because she felt it was invading her privacy.