at least : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: at least	by the DICT Development Group
3 results for at least
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
at least adv if nothing else (`leastwise' is informal and `leastways' is colloquial); "at least he survived"; "they felt--at any rate Jim felt--relieved though still wary"; "the influence of economists--or at any rate of economics--is far-reaching" Synonym(s): at least, leastways, leastwise, at any rate not less than; "at least two hours studying the manual"; "a tumor at least as big as an orange" Synonym(s): at least, at the least Antonym(s): at most, at the most
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Least \Least\, a. [OE. last, lest, AS. l[?]sast, l[?]sest, superl. of l[?]ssa less. See {Less}, a.] [Used as the superlative of little.] Smallest, either in size or degree; shortest; lowest; most unimportant; as, the least insect; the least mercy; the least space. Note: Least is often used with the, as if a noun. I am the least of the apostles. --1 Cor. xv. 9. {At least}, [or] {At the least}, at the least estimate, consideration, chance, etc.; hence, at any rate; at all events; even. See {However}. He who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses The tempted with dishonor. --Milton. Upon the mast they saw a young man, at least if he were a man, who sat as on horseback. --Sir P. Sidney. {In least}, [or] {In the least}, in the least degree, manner, etc. [bd]He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.[b8] --Luke xvi. 10. {Least squares} (Math.), a method of deducing from a number of carefully made yet slightly discordant observations of a phenomenon the most probable values of the unknown quantities. Note: It takes as its fundamental principle that the most probable values are those which make the sum of the squares of the residual errors of the observation a minimum.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
At \At\, prep. [AS. [91]t; akin to OHG. az, Goth., OS., & Icel. at, Sw. [86]t, Dan. & L. ad.] Primarily, this word expresses the relations of presence, nearness in place or time, or direction toward; as, at the ninth hour; at the house; to aim at a mark. It is less definite than in or on; at the house may be in or near the house. From this original import are derived all the various uses of at. It expresses: 1. A relation of proximity to, or of presence in or on, something; as, at the door; at your shop; at home; at school; at hand; at sea and on land. 2. The relation of some state or condition; as, at war; at peace; at ease; at your service; at fault; at liberty; at risk; at disadvantage. 3. The relation of some employment or action; occupied with; as, at engraving; at husbandry; at play; at work; at meat (eating); except at puns. 4. The relation of a point or position in a series, or of degree, rate, or value; as, with the thermometer at 80[deg]; goods sold at a cheap price; a country estimated at 10,000 square miles; life is short at the longest. 5. The relations of time, age, or order; as, at ten o'clock; at twenty-one; at once; at first. 6. The relations of source, occasion, reason, consequence, or effect; as, at the sight; at this news; merry at anything; at this declaration; at his command; to demand, require, receive, deserve, endure at your hands. 7. Relation of direction toward an object or end; as, look at it; to point at one; to aim at a mark; to throw, strike, shoot, wink, mock, laugh at any one. {At all}, {At home}, {At large}, {At last}, {At length}, {At once}, etc. See under {All}, {Home}, {Large}, {Last} (phrase and syn.), {Length}, {Once}, etc. {At it}, busily or actively engaged. {At least}. See {Least} and {However}. {At one}. See {At one}, in the Vocabulary. Syn: {In}, {At}. Usage: When reference to the interior of any place is made prominent in is used. It is used before the names of countries and cities (esp. large cities); as, we live in America, in New York, in the South. At is commonly employed before names of houses, institutions, villages, and small places; as, Milton was educated at Christ's College; money taken in at the Customhouse; I saw him at the jeweler's; we live at Beachville. At may be used before the name of a city when it is regarded as a mere point of locality. [bd]An English king was crowned at Paris.[b8] --Macaulay. [bd]Jean Jacques Rousseau was born at Geneva, June, 28, 1712.[b8] --J. Morley. In regard to time, we say at the hour, on the day, in the year; as, at 9 o'clock, on the morning of July 5th, in the year 1775.