(~er, ~est, ~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
Something that is ~ is very small in degree or quantity.
Doctors say he has made a ~ improvement...
We have a ~ problem...
He’s not the ~est bit worried.
= small
ADJ: usu ADJ n
2.
A ~ person has a fairly thin and delicate looking body.
She is smaller and ~er than Christie...
ADJ
~ly
...a ~ly built man.
ADV: ADV -ed
3.
If you are ~ed, someone does or says something that insults you by treating you as if your views or feelings are not important.
They felt ~ed by not being adequately consulted.
VERB: usu passive, feel V-ed
•
Slight is also a noun.
It isn’t a ~ on my husband that I enjoy my evening class.
N-COUNT: usu with supp
4.
You use in the ~est to emphasize a negative statement.
That doesn’t interest me in the ~est...
PHRASE: with brd-neg emphasis