/ slaɪt; NAmE / adjective , noun , verb
■ adjective ( slight·er , slight·est )
1.
very small in degree :
a slight increase / change / delay / difference
I woke up with a slight headache.
The damage was slight.
She takes offence at the slightest thing (= is very easily offended) .
There was not the slightest hint of trouble.
2.
small and thin in size :
a slight woman
3.
( formal ) not deserving serious attention :
This is a very slight novel.
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IDIOMS
- not in the slightest
■ noun
slight (on sb/sth) an act or a remark that criticizes sth or offends sb
SYN insult :
Nick took her comment as a slight on his abilities as a manager.
■ verb
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] to treat sb rudely or without respect
SYN insult :
She felt slighted because she hadn't been invited.
► slight·ing adjective [ only before noun ]:
slighting remarks
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English ; the adjective from Old Norse sléttr smooth (an early sense in English), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch slechts merely and German schlicht simple, schlecht bad; the verb (originally in the sense make smooth or level ), from Old Norse slétta . The sense “treat with disrespect” dates from the late 16th cent.