least1/list; liːst/determiner , pron 1 at leasta) not less than a particular number or amount 不少于﹐至少﹐起码〔指数字或数量〕: It will take at least 20 minutes to get there. 起码要 20 分钟才能到那儿。He had at least $100,000 in savings. 他至少有 10 万美元的存款。b) even if something better is not true or is not done 至少﹐起码〔指虽然没有更好的情况〕: At least he didn’t lie to me. 起码他没有对我撒谎。Well, at least the roof is fixed. 好了﹐至少屋顶修好了。c) used before correcting or changing something that you have just said 至少﹐起码〔用于纠正或修改刚才所说的话〕: He's gone home – at least I think he has. 他回家了—至少我是这么认为的。2 the least the smallest amount〔数量〕最小﹐最少: Women get jobs which pay the least. 女性得到的是薪水最低的工作。What would cause the least damage to the environment? 怎么做对环境危害最小?3 not (in) the least (bit) not at all or none at all 丝毫不﹐一点也不: I wasn’t in the least worried. 我一点都不担心。4 to say the least used 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. 至少可以说﹐他的教学方法很奇怪。
least2adv 1 less than anything or anyone else [ most ] 最少﹔最小: It's amazing what happens when you least expect it. 很奇怪﹐事情总是在我们最意想不到的时候发生。He's my least favourite member of staff. 他是最不讨我喜欢的员工。2 not leastformal used when mentioning an important example, reason etc【正式】尤其﹔特别: Many other problems remain, not least the shortage of engineers. 还有很多其他问题﹐特别是工程师短缺问题。