least

Adjective

least

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

   Synonyms:

   slightest

   Antonyms:

   greatest, most

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...

   Synonyms:

   slightest

   Antonyms:

   greatest, most

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...
   • 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...

   Antonyms:

   greatest, most

4. (obsolete) Followed by an agent noun: of a person: who does some action to the smallest degree.

   Antonyms:

   greatest, most

Determiner

least

1. Smallest in amount or extent.
   • He earns the least money in his family.
   • Of all the sisters, she has the least patience.

   Antonyms:

   greatest, most

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.

   Antonyms:

   most

3. 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.

Adverb

least (negative superlative)

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.

   Antonyms:

   most

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.

   Antonyms:

   most

Noun

least (plural leasts)

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.
2. Something of the smallest possible extent; an indivisible unit; a minimum.

Pronoun

least

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

Prepositional phrase

1. (informal, nonstandard) At least.
   • “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