"To say the least" is a phrase used to indicate that a statement is an understatement, implying that the reality or truth is even more extreme or significant than what has been expressed. For example, 'The movie was bad, to say the least' suggests it was very bad.
Translations
por decir lo menos
op zijn zachtst gezegd
per dir-ho suaument
pour le moins
mindestens gesagt
Etymology
The phrase "to say the least" originates from the idea of minimizing a statement deliberately. It dates back to at least the 19th century and is used to emphasize understatement, often adding a touch of irony or humor by implying that the actual situation is more intense than described.
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"To say the least" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C1) - set 1", containing 130 commonly used expressions.
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