喜樂美語

核心畫面

Think of all the amounts lined up from big to small, and 'least' is the very smallest one in the row — the bottom end. It's the superlative of 'little': not just small, but smaller than every other amount being compared. From that 'rock-bottom point' grows everything else — 'at least' (the lowest the number can go), 'not in the least' (all the way down to zero), and 'least of all' (lowest on a list of likelihood).

可以想成把一排數量從大到小排好，least 就是這一排裡「最小、最底下」的那一個——它是 little（少）的最高級…更多收起可以想成把一排數量從大到小排好，least 就是這一排裡「最小、最底下」的那一個——它是 little（少）的最高級：不只是少，而是比拿來比較的每一個都更少。從這個「最底端」的點，長出其他所有用法：at least（數字往下能掉到的最低處）、not in the least（一路掉到零）、least of all（在「最不可能」的名單上排最底）。

原始詞典資料13 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

leastadj詞源 1/liːst/

  • 1

    Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.

    • least common multiple
    • Of two ils chose the least, while choise lyeth in lot.
  • 2

    Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.

    • 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; […]
  • 3

    archaicChiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.

    • [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.
    • But if I thriue, the gaine of my attempt, / The leaſt of you, ſhall ſhare his part thereof.
  • 4

    obsoleteChiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.

leastdet詞源 1/liːst/

  • 1

    Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.

    • He earns the least money in his family.
    • Of all the sisters, she has the least patience.
  • 2

    Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.

    • Whichever queue contains the least items by the time this logic branch is reached will be executed first.
  • 3

    Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.

    • 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.

leastadv詞源 1/liːst/

  • 1

    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.
  • 2

    Used to form superlatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the superlative by adding -est.

    • It was the least surprising thing.

leastnoun詞源 1/liːst/

  • 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

    human-sciencesphilosophysciencesSomething of the smallest possible extent; an indivisible unit; a minimum.

leastpron詞源 1/liːst/

  • 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.

leastprep_phrase詞源 2/liːst/

  • 1

    informalAt 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.”
    • What a stupid white privileged POS I am! Least I call myself out.

資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。