Least

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Least \Least\ (l[=e]st), a. [OE. last, lest, AS. l[=ae]sast,
     l[=ae]sest, superl. of l[=ae]ssa less. See {Less}, a.] [Used
     as the superlative of little.]
     Smallest, either in size or degree; shortest; lowest; most
     unimportant; as, the least insect; the least mercy; the least
     space.


     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Least is often used with the, as if a noun.
           [1913 Webster]
  
                 I am the least of the apostles.    --1 Cor. xv.
                                                    9.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {At least}, or {At the least}, at the least estimate,
        consideration, chance, etc.; being no less than; hence, at
        any rate; at all events; even. See {However}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              He who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses
              The tempted with dishonor.            --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Upon the mast they saw a young man, at least if he
              were a man, who sat as on horseback.  --Sir P.
                                                    Sidney.
        
  
     {In least}, or {In the least}, in the least degree, manner,
        etc. "He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in
        much." --Luke xvi. 10.
  
     {Least squares} (Math.), a method of deducing from a number
        of carefully made yet slightly discordant observations of
        a phenomenon the most probable values of the unknown
        quantities.
  
     Note: It takes as its fundamental principle that the most
           probable values are those which make the sum of the
           squares of the residual errors of the observation a
           minimum.
           [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Least \Least\, adv.
     In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all
     others; as, to reward those who least deserve it.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Least \Least\, conj.
     See {Lest}, conj. [Obs.] --Spenser.
     [1913 Webster] Leastways

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  least
       adj 1: 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; "didn't care
              the least bit"; "he has the least talent of anyone"
              [syn: {least(a)}] [ant: {most(a)}]
       2: minimal in magnitude; "lowest wages"; "the least amount of
          fat allowed"; "the smallest amount" [syn: {lowest}, {smallest}]
       3: having or being distinguished by diminutive size; "the least
          bittern" [syn: {littlest}, {smallest}]
       adv : used to form the superlative; "The garter snake is the least
             dangerous snake" [syn: {to the lowest degree}] [ant: {most}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  43 Moby Thesaurus words for "least":
     at a disadvantage, at the nadir, below, below the mark, few,
     homely, humble, humble-looking, humble-visaged, humblest,
     in the gutter, inglorious, innocuous, least of all, less, littlest,
     low, lowest, lowliest, lowly, mean, minim, minimum, minority,
     minority group, modest, plain, poor, short of, shortest, simple,
     slightest, small, smallest, teachable, the few, the minority,
     under, under par, undistinguished, unimportant, unpretentious,
     we happy few