Least

a. (sb.,) and adv. Forms: 1 lǽst, lǽsast, lǽsest, Northumb. léasest, léassæst, lǽssest, 3 læst, 2–5 leste, 3–4 last, 3–6 leist, 3–7 (rarely 8) lest, 4–5 leeste, 4–6 leest, 3, 6– least. [OE. lǽst, lǽsest:—prehist. *laisisto-, superlative f. *laisiz- LESS; cf. OFris. leist. An OE. lǽrest = OFris. lêrest:—*laizisto-, occurs in one instance.] Used as the superlative of LITTLE. A. adj.

  I.  In concord with sb. expressed or understood.

  1.  Little beyond all others in size or degree; smallest; slightest; † fewest.

  Not infrequently coupled with last: see LAST a. 1 c.

a. 1000.  Guthlac, 741. Nis þæt huru læsast þæt seo lufu cyþeð.

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., II. 268. Þone læstan dæl þunges.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 15277. Þiss follc iss laȝhesst, & tiss lott Addleþþ þe læste mede.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 860. And best me mai to hom truste, þat of lest wordes [MS. δ leste of wordys] beþ.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. VII. 39. Men of lawe lest pardoun hadde þat pleteden for Mede.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 294. Þe veyne þat is bitwixe þe leeste too of his foot.

c. 1470.  Golagros & Gaw., 289. Lich as leif of the lynd lest, That welteris doun with the wynd, sa wauerand it is.

1576.  Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 35. To reckon your owne state among things of least estimation.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, XI. 664. Th’ Italian Chiefs, and Princes, joyn their Pow’rs: Nor least in Number, nor in Name the last.

1725.  Ld. Bolingbroke, 24 July, in Swift’s Lett. (1767), II. 210. Those, who had the least mind to see me in England, have made it impossible for me to live any where else.

1768.  Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1775), 128. (Act of Charity) A fix’d star of the least magnitude.

1778.  Pennant, Tour in Wales, I. 2. [Flint] is the lest of the twelve Welch [Counties].

1879.  Dowden, Southey, 8. His last and least pupil.

  ellipt.  c. 1205.  Lay., 28560. Fiftene he hafde feondliche wunden mon mihte i þare lasten [c. 1275 leaste] twa glouen iþraste.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 16947. Ogains leist of his to drei. Ibid., 26252. Þe ferth point es noght þe lest.

1340.  Ayenb., 44. Huanne me … beggeþ be þe gratteste wyȝtes … and zelleþ by þe leste.

c. 1369.  Chaucer, Dethe Blaunche, 283. No more than coude the leste of vs.

1662.  J. Davies, trans. Mandelslo’s Trav., 103. The effects of a deep resentment, where of the least are cudgelling or caning.

1768.  Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1775), 63. (Gloves) She begg’d I would try a single pair, which seemed to be the least.

  b.  The least: often used, esp. in negative and hypothetical contexts, for ‘Any, however small.’ † More emphatically, any or one the least. † Formerly occas. with omission of the article; also in no least = ‘not the least.’

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 143. Þouȝ he conne not þe leste poynt of þe gospel.

1613.  Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. iv. 153. Whether euer I … spake one, the least word that might Be to the preiudice of her present State.

1632.  Brome, North. Lasse, I. vii. Wks. 1873, III. 19. One from whom You never had, or can expect least good.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 73. Without least shew of remorse or pietie.

1659.  Hammond, On Ps. lxxxix. 7. There is no least comparison between all the power and operations of all those.

1664.  Power, Exp. Philos., Pref. a iij. Dioptrical Glasses … are but a Modern Invention: Antiquity gives us not the least hint thereof.

1667.  Milton, P. L., III. 120. Without least impulse or shadow of Fate.

1687.  Towerson, Baptism, 269. Without any the least hint of their being baptiz’d.

1697.  in W. S. Perry, Hist. Coll. Amer. Col. Ch., I. 14. Without receiving any the least assistance from those Guns.

1699.  Dampier, Voy., II. II. 38. Beef … without the least sign of Fat in it.

1762.  Gentl. Mag., 615. The least aperative [= aperient] undoes all immediately.

1763.  Mus. Rusticum, Oct. XXII. I. 109. Every the least appearance of a weed or root of grass is diligently picked off.

1824.  Bentham, Bk. Fallacies, Wks. 1843, II. 380. Scarce in any instance will be discovered any the least danger of final deception.

1834.  T. Medwin, Angler in Wales, I. 262. Tiger is not like pheasant-shooting … and the least noise often scares away … game of the forest.

1851.  Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib., 330. Fire-escape … intended to be always ready … without the least preparation.

  c.  In the names of certain animal and vegetable species or varieties, distinguished by their smallness from others bearing the same name. (Cf. LESS, LESSER.)

1633.  Gerarde’s Herbal, I. lxxxvi. 137. The Least Mountain White Narcissus.

1719.  Quincy, Lex. Physico-Med. (ed. 2), 346. The least Hare’s-Ear.

1766.  Pennant, Brit. Zool. (1776), III. 171. Lest Hake.

1796.  Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 209. Least Golden Crown Thrush.

1823.  Crabb, Technol. Dict., s.v. Hare, The least Hare, Lepus minimus, which is the size of a rat.

1831.  A. Wilson & Bonaparte, Amer. Ornith., III. 53. The least bittern is also found in Jamaica.

1837.  Macgillivray, Withering’s Brit. Plants (ed. 4), 335. Least Bog Orchis. Ibid., 366. Least Willow.

  d.  Least common multiple, least squares, least constraint, least resistance: see the sbs.

  2.  Lowest in power or position; meanest. (arch.) † With agent-noun: Having very little practice or scope. Also ellipt.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. v. 19. Lytel vel leasest [Ags. Gosp. læst] he bið ʓenemned in ric heafna.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. III. 25. [She] ȝaf … The leste man of here mayne a mutoun of gold.

c. 1400.  trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 41. Phelip þe lest of his clerks.

1567.  Gude & Godlie Ball. (S.T.S.), 44. Bot quha is maist, sall serue the leist.

1580.  Sidney, Ps. XXV. x. I am poore and least of all.

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., V. iii. 268. The least of you shall share his part thereof.

1611.  Bible, Matt. ii. 6. Thou … art not the least among the Princes of Iuda.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, XI. 677. I, Turnus, not the least of all my Name.

1727.  S. Switzer, Pract. Gardiner, II. vii. 58. All which is obvious to the least practitioners in this art.

  † 3.  Phr. a. At the least way(s, wise: see LEASTWAYS, LEASTWISE. b. At least hand: at least. Obs.

a. 1586.  Sidney, Arcadia, III. My musicke well assures me we are (at least hand) fellow prentises to one vngratious master.

  II.  Absolute uses (quasi-sb.).

  4.  That which is least; the least quantity or amount; † the least part of something. Phrase, to say the least (of it).

a. 1200.  Moral Ode, 112. Þe ðe lest wat biseið ofte mest. Ibid., 353. Þe þe lest haued haueð so muchel þat he bit no more.

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., V. i. 105. Loue therefore, and tongue-tide simplicity, In least, speake most, to my capacity. Ibid. (1591), Two Gent., II. vii. 68. That is the least (Lucetta) of my feare.

1597.  Bacon, Coulers Gd. & Evill (Arb.), 150. [They] haue no other shift but to bear it out wel, and to make the least of it.

1850.  McCosh, Div. Govt., II. ii. (1874), 197. We hold the moral law to be as much, to say the least of it, the appointment of God as any natural law.

Mod.  The very least I can do is to apologize for the mistake.

  Proverb.  1773.  Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), II. 289. Our Secretary of State reminds me of a maxim of his predecessor that least said is soonest mended.

1835.  Marryat, Pirate, v. The least said the soonest mended.

  5.  Governed by a prep., forming an advb. phrase.

  a.  At least, at the least (also ME. atte leste, Ormin att allre læste). A qualifying phrase, attached to a quantitative designation to indicate that the amount is the smallest admissible. Hence, in wider use, characterizing a statement as certainly valid, even if one of a more comprehensive kind be not allowable; = ‘at any rate,’ ‘at all events.’

11[?].  O. E. Chron., an. 1049 (MS. D.). Sweʓen … bæd Eadward cyng scypfultumes ꝥ sceolde beon æt læstan .L. scypa.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 937. Þatt he ȝuw illke Sunenndaȝȝ Att allre læste lære.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 164. Ihereð nu reisuns hwui me ouh for to fleon þene world; eihte reisuns et te leste.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 6774. And if i lent þe suilkin beist, þat ded be or spilt at leist … þou sal it quit wit iuiement.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xxvi. (Nycholas), 219. Þane askit he þame to sel vitale A hundre medreiis at þe lest of ilke schipe.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Man of Law’s Prol., 38. Thanne haue ye do youre deuoir atte leeste.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xix. 86. Þase ymages er ilk ane of þe stature of twa men at þe leste.

1526.  Tindale, John xiv. 11. Att the leest beleve me for the very workes sake.

1552.  Bk. Com. Prayer, Pref. to Ordering Deacons, .xxi. yeres of age at the least.

1563–7.  Buchanan, Reform. St. Andros, Wks. (1892), 8. The nombre of the classis at the leist sex.

1576.  Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 355, note. Man being indued with reason (or at least ought to bee), knowledge and understanding.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., V. v. 52. At least wee’l dye with Harnesse on our backe.

1611.  Bible, Luke xix. 42. Saying, If thou hadst knowen, euen thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong vnto thy peace!

1662.  J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 93. At lest I can say this, I never met with any who were glad when they were beaten.

1663.  Gerbier, Counsel, 53. There are at the least in twenty thousand, five thousand unfit for work.

1667.  Milton, P. L., I. 258. Here at least We shall be free.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 105, ¶ 7. The Book-Pedant is much the most supportable; he has at least an exercised Understanding.

1712.  Steele, Ibid., No. 498, ¶ 3. As had disabled him from being a coachman for that day at least.

1802.  Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. iii. 17. I hope … you’ll at least tell me, that you do not really suspect me.

1834.  J. H. Newman, Par. Serm. (1837), I. iii. 44. Have you not power at least over the limbs of your body?

1847–9.  Helps, Friends in C., Ser. I. (1857), I. 123. At least it does not contain the whole matter.

1885.  Act 48 & 49. Vict., c. 60 § 4. A session of the Council shall be held once at least in every two years.

  † b.  By the least. At least.

a. 1300.  K. Horn, 616. He sloȝ þer on haste On hundred bi þe laste [Geste Kyng Horn 612 at the leste].

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 7623. The flode was so felle, with fallyng of Rayn, Hit was like, by the lest, as oure lorde wold With water haue wastid all þe world efte.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, XII. xiii. 29. Desist heirof, now at last, be the lest.

  c.  In the least. † (a) At the lowest estimate (obs.). (b) In the smallest or slightest degree.

1605.  Shaks., Lear, I. i. 194. What in the least Will you require in present Dower with her.

1660.  Wood, Life, 29 Nov. He never suffered in the least for his cause.

1662.  Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., III. iii. § 4. And is it possible … to imagine that the Scriptures do in the least ascribe the Origine of evill to God?

1702.  Addison, Dial. Medals, ii. Wks. 1721, I. 461. I have been surprized to meet with a man in a Satire that I never in the least expected to find there.

1845.  Stephen, Comm. Laws Eng. (1874), II. 497. So as to restrain or diminish in the least any of his rights or interests.

1851.  Ruskin, Stones Ven. (1874), I. xx. 218. No sculptor can in the least imitate the peculiar character of accidental fracture.

  † d.  With the least. (a) Inferior. (b) = At least. Also, To speak with the least: to say the least. (c) With least or most: at all, in any way. Obs.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, I. 281. She nas not with the leste of here stature.

1550–3.  Decaye of England (E.E.T.S.), 100. It lesth the kings Maiesty … .v. thousande markes by the yeare with the lest [printed left].

1575.  Gamm. Gurton, V. ii. 247. Bayly. Canst thou not say any-thing to that, Diccon, with least or most? Diccon. Yea, mary, sir, thus much I can say: wel, the nedle is lost!

c. 1680.  Beveridge, Serm. (1729), II. 586. We … who live … where the … means of grace are as … powerfully administer’d, to speak with the least, as in any place.

  † 6.  as sb. A most minute quantity or part; a minimum. Obs.

1656.  Stanley, Hist. Philos., v. (1701), 161/2. There being in Nature no least which cannot be divided.

1682.  Creech, Lucretius, I. 23. They all affirm, that Nature never rests In breaking Bodies, and admits no Leasts. Ibid. (1683), Notes 17. Epicurus made all his Atoms to be leasts, and therefore insensible.

1766.  Amory, Buncle (1770), IV. 94. By impregnating the most generous white wine, with the minims or leasts of antimony.

1813.  Busby, Lucretius, I. 658. These particles themselves no parts contain, And hence are Nature’s Leasts, or finest grain.

  B.  adv. In the least degree; in a degree less than all others, or than on all other occasions.

c. 1200.  Trin. Hom., 75. Þanne þu lest wenst deað cumeþ to fecchende þe.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 27201. In lauerd house … þar man agh lest do dishonur.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 2546. He was fallen in a feuer or he lest wende.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 299/1. Leest wurthy, eximius.

1526.  Tindale, 1 Cor. xii. 23. Those members of the body which we thynke lest honest.

c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonn., xxix. With what I most inioy Contented least.

1667.  Milton, P. L., I. 679. Mammon, the least erected Spirit that fell From Heav’n.

1732.  Berkeley, Alciphr., III. § 6. Alciphron has made discoveries where I least expected it.

1833.  Ht. Martineau, Fr. Wines & Pol., v. 75. When the time came for giving up his watch or his rat, he thought he could least spare his live companion.

1883.  R. W. Dixon, Mano, II. i. 65. And when lord Gerbert questioned privily, Of me he got but little: least of all Upon that noble knight would I be spy.

  b.  The least: in the least degree.

1662.  J. Davies, trans. Mandelslo’s Trav., 101. Drunkenness is a Vice they can the least of any be charged withal.

1840.  Marryat, Poor Jack, vi. He wasn’t the least groggy.

1881.  Froude, Short Studies (1883), IV. 351. I am not the least pretending that this has been the actual history of man in this planet.