Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
You use ~ to describe an amount which is the smallest that is possible, allowed, or required.
He was only five feet nine, the ~ height for a policeman.
...a rise in the ~ wage.
? maximum
ADJ: ADJ n
•
Minimum is also a noun.
This will take a ~ of one hour...
Four foot should be seen as an absolute ~.
N-SING: oft a N of amount
2.
You use ~ to state how small an amount is.
The basic needs of life are available with ~ effort...
Neil and Chris try to spend the ~ amount of time on the garden.
ADJ: ADJ n
•
Minimum is also a noun.
With a ~ of fuss, she produced the grandson he had so desperately wished for.
N-SING: a N of n
3.
If you say that something is a particular amount ~, you mean that this is the smallest amount it should be or could possibly be, although a larger amount is acceptable or very possible.
You’re talking over a thousand pounds ~ for one course.
? maximum
ADV: amount ADV
4.
You use at a ~, or at the ~, when you want to indicate that something is the very least which could or should happen.
This would take three months at a ~...
? at the maximum
PHRASE: amount PHR, PHR with cl, PHR after v
5.
If you say that someone keeps something to a ~, or to the ~, you mean that they keep the amount of it as small as possible.
Office machinery is kept to a ~...
PHRASE: PHR after v