The adjective, determiner, and noun are derived from Middle English leste, lest, last (“(adjective) smallest, least; (noun) smallest thing, etc.; person or thing least in importance; etc.”), from Old English lǣst, a contraction of læsast, læsest (“least”) (also lærest in only one source), from Proto-Germanic *laisistaz (“smallest, least”), from *laisiz (“less”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂is- or *leh₃is-; whence modern English less) + *-istaz (“suffix forming superlative forms of some adjectives”). The adverb and pronoun are derived from the adjective or determiner. cognates * Old Frisian leist * Old Saxon lēs
› Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of…
1
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.1546, John Heywood, chapter V, in Julian Sharman, editor, The Proverbs of John Heywood. […], London: George Bell and Sons, […], published 1874, →OCLC, part I, page 20:
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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: you ſee it as a fix'd ſtar of the leaſt magnitude; it burns—but does little good to the vvorld, that vve knovv of.1768, Mr. Yorick [pseudonym; Laurence Sterne], “The Act of Charity. Paris.”, in A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy, volume II, London: […] T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt, […], →OCLC, pages 148–149:
[T]he least part of the work of any sound art-teacher must be his talking.1872 February 8 (date delivered), John Ruskin, “Lecture I. The Function in Art of the Faculty Called by the Greeks Σοφία.”, in The Eagle’s Nest. Ten Lectures on the Relation of Natural Science to Art, Given before the University of Oxford in Lent Term, 1872 (The Works of John Ruskin; IV), London: […] [F]or the author, by Smith, Elder & Co., […]; and sold by Mr. G[eorge] Allen, […], published 1872, →OCLC, paragraph 2, page 3:
› Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of… › Chiefly used with abstract nouns: less than…
2
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; […]1597, John Gerarde [i.e., John Gerard], “Of Whiteblowe, or Whitlowe Grasse”, in The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes. […], London: […] Edm[und] Bollifant, for Bonham and Iohn Norton, →OCLC, book II, page 498:
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[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, […]1633, John Gerarde [i.e., John Gerard], Thomas Johnson, “Of Hedge Hyssope”, in The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes. […], enlarged edition, London: […] Adam Islip, Joice Norton and Richard Whitakers, →OCLC, book II, pages 581–582:
› Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of…
3
Archaic Lowest 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 man; becauſe of the ignorance and vntovvardnes vvhich is in vs and raigneth in vs.1587, Philip of Mornay [i.e., Philippe de Mornay], “The Preface to the Reader”, in Philip Sidney, Arthur Golding, transl., A Woorke Concerning the Trewnesse of the Christian Religion, […], London: […] [John Charlewood and] George Robinson for Thomas Cadman, […], →OCLC:
But if I thriue, the gaine of my attempt, / The leaſt of you, ſhall ſhare his part thereof.c. 1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedy of King Richard the Third. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Sims [and Peter Short] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v], signature M2, recto:
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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.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 2:6, signature A2, verso, column 1:
Chiefly, vvhen this ſure ioy ſhall crovvne our ſide, / That the leaſt man, that falles vpon our party / This day […] / Shall vvalke at pleaſure, in the tents of reſt; […]1611, Ben[jamin] Jonson, Catiline His Conspiracy, London: […] [William Stansby?] for Walter Burre, →OCLC, Act V, signature M2, recto:
Take the least man of all mankind, as I; / Look at his head and heart, find how and why / He differs from his fellows utterly: […]1864, Robert Browning, “Epilogue”, in Dramatis Personæ, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, stanza 2, page 248:
4
Obsolete Followed by an agent noun: of a person: who does some action to the smallest degree.
The adjective, determiner, and noun are derived from Middle English leste, lest, last (“(adjective) smallest, least; (noun) smallest thing, etc.; person or thing least in importance; etc.”), from Old English lǣst, a contraction of læsast, læsest (“least”) (also lærest in only one source), from Proto-Germanic *laisistaz (“smallest, least”), from *laisiz (“less”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂is- or *leh₃is-; whence modern English less) + *-istaz (“suffix forming superlative forms of some adjectives”). The adverb and pronoun are derived from the adjective or determiner. cognates * Old Frisian leist * Old Saxon lēs
› Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of…
1
Smallest in amount or extent.
He earns the least money in his family.
Of all the sisters, she has the least patience.
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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.1697, Virgil, “The Eleventh Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 558, lines 663–665:
She begg'd I vvould try a ſingle pair [of gloves], vvhich ſeemed to be the leaſt—She held it open—my hand ſlipp'd into it at once— […]1768, Mr. Yorick [pseudonym; Laurence Sterne], “The Gloves. Paris.”, in A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy, volume I, London: […] T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt, […], →OCLC, page 174:
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:
“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[rosby] Lincoln, chapter V, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
2
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.
3
In the negative 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.
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My ſelfe an vtter ſtranger, one from vvhom / You neuer had, or can expect leaſt good.1629 (first performance), Richard Brome, The Northern Lasse, a Comoedie. […], London: […] Aug[ustine] Mathewes, and are to be sold by Nicholas Vavasour, […], published 1632, →OCLC, Act I, scene vii, signature [C4], verso:
So vvithout leaſt impulſe or ſhadovv of Fate, / Or aught by me immutablie foreſeen, / They treſpaſs, Authors to themſelves in all / Both vvhat they judge and vvhat they chooſe; […]1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, signature I, recto, lines 120–123:
[H]e came alone; neither did any man meet him vvith the leaſt incouragement.1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 231:
The little Pieces of Beef vvere like Plums in our Hodg-podg. Indeed 'tvvas not fit to be eaten any other vvay; for tho' it did not ſtink, yet it vvas very unſavory and black, vvithout the leaſt ſign of Fat in it: […]1699, William Dampier, chapter I, in Voyages and Descriptions. Vol. II. […], London: […] James Knapton, […], →OCLC, part II (Mr. Dampier’s Voyages to the Bay of Campeachy), page 38:
The adjective, determiner, and noun are derived from Middle English leste, lest, last (“(adjective) smallest, least; (noun) smallest thing, etc.; person or thing least in importance; etc.”), from Old English lǣst, a contraction of læsast, læsest (“least”) (also lærest in only one source), from Proto-Germanic *laisistaz (“smallest, least”), from *laisiz (“less”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂is- or *leh₃is-; whence modern English less) + *-istaz (“suffix forming superlative forms of some adjectives”). The adverb and pronoun are derived from the adjective or determiner. cognates * Old Frisian leist * Old Saxon lēs
1
Negative, Superlative In 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.
1 more example
That decision rewards those who least deserve it.
2
Negative, Superlative Used to form superlatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the superlative by adding -est.
It was the least surprising thing.
least
noun
Etymology
The adjective, determiner, and noun are derived from Middle English leste, lest, last (“(adjective) smallest, least; (noun) smallest thing, etc.; person or thing least in importance; etc.”), from Old English lǣst, a contraction of læsast, læsest (“least”) (also lærest in only one source), from Proto-Germanic *laisistaz (“smallest, least”), from *laisiz (“less”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂is- or *leh₃is-; whence modern English less) + *-istaz (“suffix forming superlative forms of some adjectives”). The adverb and pronoun are derived from the adjective or determiner. cognates * Old Frisian leist * Old Saxon lēs
1
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.
1 more example
Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 25:40:
2
Human sciences, Philosophy, Sciences Something of the smallest possible extent; an indivisible unit; a minimum.
least
pron
Etymology
The adjective, determiner, and noun are derived from Middle English leste, lest, last (“(adjective) smallest, least; (noun) smallest thing, etc.; person or thing least in importance; etc.”), from Old English lǣst, a contraction of læsast, læsest (“least”) (also lærest in only one source), from Proto-Germanic *laisistaz (“smallest, least”), from *laisiz (“less”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂is- or *leh₃is-; whence modern English less) + *-istaz (“suffix forming superlative forms of some adjectives”). The adverb and pronoun are derived from the adjective or determiner. cognates * Old Frisian leist * Old Saxon lēs
1
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, the black wreathings of the smoke are still discernible through the white covering.1847, John Duncan, Duncan's Travels:
“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, →OCLC, 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: