least

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++least1 /liːst/ ●●● S1 W1 determiner, pronoun  1  at least a) LIMITnot less than a particular number or amount 不少于，至少，起码〔指数或量〕 It will take you at least 20 minutes to get there. 到那里至少要花20分钟。 He had at least £100,000 in savings. 他起码有10万英镑的存款。at the (very) least (=not less than and probably much more than) 最起码 It would cost $1 million at the very least. 最起码要花100万美元。 b) GOOD POINT OR CHARACTERISTICeven if something better is not true or is not done 至少〔指尽管没有更好的情况〕 At least he didn’t lie to me. 至少他没跟我撒谎。 I don’t expect you to pay me, but you could at least cover my expenses. 我不指望你给我报酬，但你至少也得支付我的开销呀。 The house still needed a lot of work, but at least the kitchen was finished. 这房子还有不少活要干，但至少厨房已经完工了。 c) BUTused when you are correcting or changing something that you have just said 至少，起码〔用于纠正或改变刚说过的话〕 They all knew I was on their side. At least, that’s what they said. 他们都知道我站在他们这一边，至少他们是这么说的。 I made everything perfectly clear – or at least I thought I did. 我把一切都解释得很清楚了——至少我自己是这么认为的。2  at the (very) least used when mentioning the least extreme thing that happens, is needed etc 最起码 Computer viruses are at the very least annoying and often actually destructive. 计算机病毒往轻了说让人恼火，实际上还经常具有破坏性。3  the least a) the smallest amount 〔数量〕最小；最少 Women work in those sectors of the job market which pay the least. 女性在就业市场中报酬最低的行业里工作。 Which method causes the least damage to the environment? 哪一种方法对环境危害最小？ b) used to emphasize how small something is, especially when it hardly exists at all 极微小的〔尤指几乎没有〕 I haven’t the least idea what you are talking about. 我一点也不明白你在说什么。 He used to wake at the least noise. 他以前总是有一点点动静就会醒过来。 c) used when you are saying what someone should do in a situation, and suggesting that they should really do more 起码能做的事情 The least you could do is give me her phone number. 你起码可以把她的电话号码告诉我。 The least they could have given her is some money towards the rent. 他们起码可以给她一点钱帮她交房租。4  not the least/not in the least/not the least bit NOTnone at all, or not at all 一点也不 I tried to convince them, but they weren’t the least interested. 我试图说服他们，可他们一点也不感兴趣。 I’m not in the least afraid of you anymore. 我现在一点都不怕你了。 His voice was alert, not the least bit sleepy. 他的声音透着警觉，没有一丝睡意。5  to say the least EMPHASIZEused to show that something is worse or more serious than you are actually saying 至少可以说 His teaching methods were strange, to say the least. 他的教学方法至少可以说是怪异。6  the least of somebody’s worries/problems/troubles/concerns WORRIEDsomething that someone is not worried about because there are other more important problems 某人最不担心的事，某人一点都不在乎的事 What I looked like was the least of my problems. 我看上去怎么样根本无所谓。7  it’s the least I can do spoken used to say that you are very willing to do something or to reply to someone’s thanks 这是我起码可以做的事〔表示非常愿意做某事，或用于回答某人的感谢〕 I’ll look after them – it’s the least I can do. 我来照顾他们——这是我起码可以做的事。 → last but not least at last2(3)least2 ●●○ adverb  1  LESSless than anything or anyone else 最少；最小 OPP most The journey would impose extra expense on those least able to afford it. 这次旅行会给那些最负担不起的人增加额外的开支。 It is quite amazing what turns up when you are least expecting it. 真的很奇妙，你根本想不到会有什么出现。 He’s my least favourite member of staff. 他是最不讨我喜欢的员工。2  least of all especially not a particular person or thing 最不…的，尤其不…的 She hardly ever lost her temper – least of all with Anne. 她几乎从不发脾气——对安妮就更不用说了。3  not least formal used to emphasize that something is important 〔用于强调重要〕尤其，特别 My mother was upset about his appearance here, not least because she felt it was invading her privacy. 他在这里出现使我母亲很不高兴，尤其是因为她觉得这侵犯了她的隐私。

Examples from the Corpus

least• The people who are least able to afford healthcare are often the ones who need it most.• The tax hits those who can least afford it.• Alex Ferguson will have loved this, not least because questions had started to be asked of his team and star names.• Last but not least, community projects include events such as school quizzes, sheltered shopping and the annual Aberdeen Carnival.• Car problems happen when you least expect them.• Air-conditioning is standard except on the least expensive model.• I was the least experienced member of the expedition.• Portugal would be my least favourite choice.• It is also the explanation of political behavior that has been least fully explored by means of social scientific inquiry.• Not least, it reduces the time in which the specification can be changed.• Which job would you least like to do?• We were the least successful team in the competition.• Not least there are hints on organising your new crew.

least1 determinerleast2 adverbChinese  

less amount Corpus or particular a number not than

least

I

least¹ S1 W1 /liːst/ determiner, pronoun
1. at least
  a. not less than a particular number or amount:
    It will take you at least 20 minutes to get there.
    He had at least £100,000 in savings.
    at the (very) least (=not less than and probably much more than)
    It would cost $1 million at the very least.
  b. even if something better is not true or is not done:
    At least he didn’t lie to me.
    I don’t expect you to pay me, but you could at least cover my expenses.
    The house still needed a lot of work, but at least the kitchen was finished.
  c. used when you are correcting or changing something that you have just said:
    They all knew I was on their side. At least, that’s what they said.
    I made everything perfectly clear – or at least I thought I did.
2. at the (very) least used when mentioning the least extreme thing that happens, is needed etc:
    Computer viruses are at the very least annoying and often actually destructive.
3. the least
  a. the smallest amount:
    Women work in those sectors of the job market which pay the least.
    Which method causes the least damage to the environment?
  b. used to emphasize how small something is, especially when it hardly exists at all:
    I haven’t the least idea what you are talking about.
    He used to wake at the least noise.
  c. used when you are saying what someone should do in a situation, and suggesting that they should really do more:
    The least you could do is give me her phone number.
    The least they could have given her is some money towards the rent.
4. not the least/not in the least/not the least bit none at all, or not at all:
    I tried to convince them, but they weren’t the least interested.
    I’m not in the least afraid of you any more.
    His voice was alert, not the least bit sleepy.
5. to say the least used to show that something is worse or more serious than you are actually saying:
    His teaching methods were strange, to say the least.
6. the least of sb’s worries/problems/troubles/concerns something that someone is not worried about because there are other more important problems:
    What I looked like was the least of my problems.
7. it’s the least I can do spoken used to say that you are very willing to do something or to reply to someone’s thanks:
    I’ll look after them – it’s the least I can do.
⇨ last but not least at last²(3)

II

least² adverb
1. less than anything or anyone else
   OPP  most:
    The journey would impose extra expense on those least able to afford it.
    It is quite amazing what turns up when you are least expecting it.
    He’s my least favourite member of staff.
2. least of all especially not a particular person or thing:
    She hardly ever lost her temper – least of all with Anne.
3. not least formal used to emphasize that something is important:
    My mother was upset about his appearance here, not least because she felt it was invading her privacy.