slight

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English slight (“bad, of poor quality, unimportant, trivial, slender, slim, smooth, level”), from Old English sliht (“smooth, level”), from Proto-Germanic *slihtaz (“slippery, flat, level, plain”), related to English slick. Cognate with Scots slicht (“bad, of poor quality”), West Frisian sljocht (“smooth, level, plain, simple”), Dutch slecht (“bad”), Low German slecht (“bad”), German schlecht (“bad”) and schlicht (“plain, artless, natural”), Danish slet (“bad, evil, poor, nasty, wrong”), Swedish slät (“smooth”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk slett (“even”), Icelandic sléttur (“even, smooth, level”). === Pronunciation === enPR: slīt, IPA(key): /slaɪt/ (Standard Southern British) IPA(key): [slɑjt] (MLE, Jamaica) IPA(key): /slæʔ/, [sl̥æ̙ːʔ] (US, Canada) IPA(key): [sl̥ɐɪt], [sl̥əɪ̯t] (African-American, General South African) IPA(key): /slaːt/ (General Australian, New Zealand) IPA(key): /slɑɪt/, /slɒɪt/ Rhymes: -aɪt Homophone: sleight === Adjective === slight (comparative slighter, superlative slightest) Minor; small in amount Synonyms: ignorable, meaningless, negligible, tiny; see also Thesaurus:insignificant Gentle or weak, not aggressive or powerful. Not thorough; superficial. Trifling; unimportant; insignificant. (archaic or rare) Not far away in space or time. Of slender build. Synonyms: lithe, svelte, willowy; see also Thesaurus:slender (regional) Even, smooth or level. Synonyms: flat, glassy, slick; see also Thesaurus:smooth (especially said of the sea) Still; with little or no movement on the surface. (obsolete) Foolish; silly; not intellectual. Synonyms: daft, fatuous, soft in the head; see also Thesaurus:foolish (regional, obsolete) Bad, of poor quality. Synonyms: flimsy, lousy, shoddy; see also Thesaurus:low-quality 1889 (first published), George Washington, Writings we frequently have slight Goods and sometimes old and unsaleable Articles (dated) Slighting; treating with disdain. Synonyms: contemptuous, disdainful, scornful; see also Thesaurus:disdainful ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === slight (third-person singular simple present slights, present participle slighting, simple past and past participle slighted) (transitive) To treat as unimportant or not worthy of attention; to make light of. Synonym: take lightly (transitive) To give lesser weight or importance to. Synonyms: belittle; see also Thesaurus:trivialize Antonyms: respect, value, esteem (transitive) To treat (someone or something) with disdain or neglect, usually out of prejudice, hatred, or jealousy; to ignore disrespectfully; to skimp on one's duties toward. Synonyms: contemn, despise; see also Thesaurus:despise Antonyms: respect, honor; see also Thesaurus:revere (intransitive) To act negligently or carelessly. (Can we add an example for this sense?) (transitive, military, of a fortification) To render no longer defensible by full or partial demolition. (obsolete, transitive) To make even or level. Synonyms: flatten, level (transitive) To throw heedlessly. Synonyms: bung, hurl, soss; see also Thesaurus:throw ==== Derived terms ==== slightingly ==== Translations ==== === Noun === slight (plural slights) The act of ignoring or snubbing; a deliberate act of neglect or discourtesy. Synonyms: ignoring, neglect, belittlement Antonym: respect (obsolete) Sleight. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Further reading === The Dictionary of the Scots Language The Dictionary of the Scots Language The Middle English Dictionary “slight”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. === Anagrams === lights == Middle English == === Etymology 1 === Inherited from Old English sliht, from Proto-West Germanic *sliht, from Proto-Germanic *slihtaz. ==== Alternative forms ==== sleght, sleȝt, sleight, sleiȝte, sliȝt, slyght, slyȝt ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /slixt/, /sliːxt/, /slɛxt/ Rhymes: -ixt ==== Adjective ==== slight Level, even, smooth; having no bumps or lumps. (rare) Of little importance or relevance. (rare) Slim, narrow, skinny; of little breadth. (rare) Badly made, poorly-built, or low-quality. ===== Descendants ===== English: slight Scots: slicht Yola: sleight ===== References ===== “slight, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 12 December 2018. === Etymology 2 === ==== Noun ==== slight alternative form of sleighte ==== Adjective ==== slight alternative form of sleighte