slight

Everyday

1. Slight means small, not much or not important. tree →
2. Slight means thin and small in body. tree →
3. A slight is a small insult, like ignoring someone. tree →
4. To slight someone is to insult them by ignoring them or treating them as unimportant. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life: «a slight cold», «a slight chance of rain». In maths and science: «a slight increase» = a small change. Phrases: «not in the slightest» (= not at all), «a slight difference», «slightly».

Examples

• I have a slight headache. tree →
• There's a slight chance of rain. tree →
• The temperature showed a slight rise, from 20 to 21 degrees. tree →
• She was slight but very strong. tree →
• I'm not in the slightest bit tired. tree →
• He felt slighted when they didn't invite him. tree →
• Nothing that I could say had the slightest effect on him. tree →

Note

Adverb: slightly (= a little). «Not in the slightest» = not at all. Homophone pair with «sleight» (as in «sleight of hand»). In maths, «slight» is a small change, but it does not give a number.

In Jewish tradition

Here it means weak and flimsy, as a badly built wall.

Interpretation. Ezekiel says false prophets build a weak wall and cover it with whitewash, offering peace where there is none. Tradition reads this as warning against comforting lies.

Examples

• Because, even because they have led My people astray, saying: Peace, and there is no peace; and when it buildeth up a slight wall, behold, they daub it with whited plaster; (Prophets EZK.13.10, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Adverb: slightly (= a little). «Not in the slightest» = not at all. Homophone pair with «sleight» (as in «sleight of hand»). In maths, «slight» is a small change, but it does not give a number.