Antonyms for slight


Grammar : Adj, noun, verb
Spell : slahyt
Phonetic Transcription : slaɪt


Definition of slight

Origin :
  • early 14c., "flat, smooth; hairless," probably from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse slettr "smooth, sleek," from Proto-Germanic *slikhtaz (cf. Old Saxon slicht; Low German slicht "smooth, plain common;" Old English -sliht "level," attested in eorðslihtes "level with the ground;" Old Frisian sliucht "smooth, slight," Middle Dutch sleht "even, plain," Old High German sleht, Gothic slaihts "smooth"), probably from a collateral form of PIE *sleig- "to smooth, glide, be muddy," from root *(s)lei- "slimy" (see slime (n.)).
  • Sense evolution probably is from "smooth" (c.1300), to "slim, slender; of light texture," hence "not good or strong; insubstantial, trifling, inferior, insignificant" (early 14c.). Meaning "small in amount" is from 1520s. Sense of German cognate schlecht developed from "smooth, plain, simple" to "bad, mean, base," and as it did it was replaced in the original senses by schlicht, a back-formation from schlichten "to smooth, to plane," a derivative of schlecht in the old sense [Klein].
  • adj insignificant, small
  • adj thin, small in build
  • noun insult, disrespect
  • verb offend, insult
Example sentences :
  • Mrs. Rushton was pleased with this mark of attention, and after a slight demur, accepted.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • "He was probably afraid to tell you," said Halbert, with a slight sneer.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • A free ticket was given to Robert in return for some slight service.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • Celine stared, resting no slight weight on the hot flat-iron.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • Robert glanced at Halbert's figure, slight compared with his own, and laughed.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • I will drop you a slight hint, which you had better bear in mind.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • She was almost in; it was only a slight dizziness, yet she could not see the light-house.
  • Extract from : « Malbone » by Thomas Wentworth Higginson
  • Yet the effort she made, and with success, to restrain the show of her anger, was far from slight.
  • Extract from : « Weighed and Wanting » by George MacDonald
  • For the first time, Mary was moved to the display of a slight confusion.
  • Extract from : « Within the Law » by Marvin Dana
  • A slight noise had caught his ear, he had stooped, listening.
  • Extract from : « Within the Law » by Marvin Dana

Synonyms for slight

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019