leastways

American

[leest-wayz] / ˈlistˌweɪz /

adverb

Dialect.

at least; at any rate; leastwise.

leastways British

/ ˈliːstˌweɪz /

adverb

informal at least; anyway; at any rate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of leastways

First recorded in 1350–1400, leastways is from Middle English leest weye. See least, -ways

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

leastways

‘I saw him, Mr. Butterbur,’ said a hobbit; ‘or leastways I didn’t see him, if you take my meaning. He just vanished into thin air, in a manner of speaking.’

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

‘Go now? What’s your little game? It isn’t time yet. It can’t be tea-time even, leastways not in decent places where there is tea-time.’

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

“Ah didn’t aim tuh let on tuh yuh ’bout it, leastways not right away, but Ah ruther be shot wid tacks than fuh you tuh act wid me lak you is right now.

From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston

Why, I say he comes after our Betsy; leastways, I'm a'most sure of it.

From The Story of Charles Strange Vol. 2 (of 3) A Novel by Mrs. Henry Wood

We live on our lodgings, that's what we live on; leastways mother and me; Eustace keeps himself, and a bit over now that Mr. Hooper's started giving him his old clothes.

From A Woman Perfected by Richard Marsh

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023