different between slight vs bare

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 slett (“even”), Icelandic sléttur (“even, smooth, level”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: sl?t, IPA^(key): /sla?t/
• (US) IPA^(key): [sl?l?????]
• Rhymes: -a?t
• Homophone: sleight

Adjective

slight (comparative slighter, superlative slightest)

1. Small
   1. gentle or weak, not aggressive or powerful

   2. not thorough; superficial

   3. trifling; unimportant; insignificant
      • 1741, John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education & of the Conduct of the Understanding

        Some firmly embrace doctrines upon slight grounds.

   4. (archaic or rare) not far away in space or time

   Synonyms: ignorable, meaningless, negligible, tiny; see also Thesaurus:tiny, Thesaurus:insignificant

2. of slender build
   • 1822, Sir Walter Scott, Peveril of the Peak

     his own figure, which was formerly so slight

   Synonyms: lithe, svelte, willowy; see also Thesaurus:slender

3. (regional) Even, smooth or level

   Synonyms: flat, glassy, slick; see also Thesaurus:smooth

4. (especially said of the sea) still; with little or no movement on the surface

5. (obsolete) Foolish; silly; not intellectual.

   Synonyms: daft, fatuous, soft in the head; see also Thesaurus:foolish

6. (regional, obsolete) Bad, of poor quality.
   • 1889 (first published), George Washington, Writings

     we frequently have slight Goods and sometimes old and unsaleable Articles

   Synonyms: flimsy, lousy, shoddy; see also Thesaurus:low-quality

7. (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)

1. (transitive) To treat as unimportant or not worthy of attention; to make light of.
   • 1782, William Cowper, Truth

     the wretch who slights the bounty of the skies

2. (transitive) To give lesser weight or importance to.
   • 1915, Josephine Turck Baker, Correct English (volumes 16-17, page 182)

     Incontiguously (accent on tig; the rest of the syllables slighted) means in an incontiguous manner.

   Synonym: belittle

   Antonyms: respect, value, esteem

3. (transitive) To treat with disdain or neglect, usually out of prejudice, hatred, or jealousy; to ignore disrespectfully.
   • 1833, Mary Shelley, The Mortal Immortal

     Though true of heart, she was somewhat of a coquette in manner; and I was jealous as a Turk. She slighted me in a thousand ways, yet would never acknowledge herself to be in the wrong. She would drive me mad with anger, and then force me to beg her pardon.

   Synonyms: contemn, despise

   Antonyms: respect, honor

4. (intransitive) To act negligently or carelessly. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
5. (transitive, military, of a fortification) To render no longer defensible by full or partial demolition.
6. (transitive) To make even or level.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Hexham to this entry?)

7. (transitive) To throw heedlessly.

Derived terms

• slightingly

Translations

Noun

slight (plural slights)

1. The act of slighting; a deliberate act of neglect or discourtesy.

   Synonyms: ignoring, neglect, belittlement

   Antonym: respect

   • 1793, Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

     Never use a slighting expression to her, even in jest; for slights in jest, after frequent bandyings, are apt to end in angry earnest.
2. (obsolete) Sleight.

   • For till that stownd could never wight him harme,
     By subtilty, nor slight, nor might, nor mighty charme.

Derived terms

• put a slight upon

Translations

Further reading

• The Dictionary of the Scots Language
• The Dictionary of the Scots Language
• The Middle English Dictionary

Anagrams

• lights

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English sliht, from Proto-Germanic *slihtaz.

Alternative forms

• sli?t, slei?te, sle?t, slyght, sleght, sleight, sly?t

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /slixt/, /sl?xt/
• Rhymes: -ixt

Adjective

slight

1. Level, even, smooth; having no bumps or lumps.
2. (rare) Of little importance or relevance.
3. (rare) Slim, narrow, skinny; of little breadth.
4. (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 2018-12-12.

Etymology 2

Noun

slight

1. Alternative form of sleight

Adjective

slight

1. Alternative form of sleight

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /b??(?)/, /b??(?)/, enPR: bâr
• (US) IPA^(key): /b???/, enPR: bâr
• Rhymes: -??(?)
• Homophone: bear

Etymology 1

From Middle English bare, bar, from Old English bær (“bare, naked, open”), from Proto-West Germanic *ba?, from Proto-Germanic *bazaz (“bare, naked”), from Proto-Indo-European *b?osós, from *b?os- (“bare, barefoot”).

Cognate with Scots bare, bair (“bare”), Saterland Frisian bar (“bare”), West Frisian baar (“bare”), Dutch baar (“bare”), German bar (“bare”), Swedish bar (“bare”), Icelandic ber (“bare”), Lithuanian basas (“barefoot, bare”), Polish bosy (“barefoot”).

Adjective

bare (comparative barer, superlative barest)

1. Minimal; that is or are just sufficient.
2. Naked, uncovered.
3. Having no supplies.

   a room bare of furniture

   The cupboard was bare.

   • 2012 October 31, David M. Halbfinger, "[1]," New York Times (retrieved 31 October 2012):

     Localities across New Jersey imposed curfews to prevent looting. In Monmouth, Ocean and other counties, people waited for hours for gasoline at the few stations that had electricity. Supermarket shelves were stripped bare.

4. Having no decoration.

   The walls of this room are bare — why not hang some paintings on them?

5. Having had what usually covers (something) removed.

   The trees were left bare after the swarm of locusts devoured all the leaves.

6. (MLE, Toronto, not comparable) A lot or lots of.

   It's bare money to get in the club each time, man.

7. With head uncovered; bareheaded.
8. Without anything to cover up or conceal one's thoughts or actions; open to view; exposed.
9. (figuratively) Mere; without embellishment.
10. Threadbare, very worn.
    • c. 1593, William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act II, scene iv:

      for it appears, by their bare liveries, that they live by your bare words.

11. Not insured.
    • 1987, 1 December, ABA Journal (page 86)

      Before the company was formed, the firm went bare for about three months in 1985, but it now has prior acts coverage for that time.

    • 1994, David S. Haviland, The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice (page 310)

      That a firm chooses to go bare has no effect on whether it gets sued or not.

Synonyms

• (minimal): mere, minimal
• (without a condom): Thesaurus:condomless
• (naked): exposed, naked, nude, uncovered, undressed
• (having no supplies): empty, unfurnished, unstocked, unsupplied
• (having no decoration): empty, plain, unadorned, undecorated
• (having had what usually covers (something) removed): despoiled, stripped, uncovered

Antonyms

• (minimal): ample, plentiful, sufficient
• (naked): covered, covered up, dressed, unexposed
• (having no supplies): full, furnished, stocked, supplied, well-stocked
• (having no decoration): adorned, decorated, ornate
• (having had what usually covers (something) removed): covered

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

bare

1. (Britain, slang) Very; significantly.

   That pissed me off bare.

   It's taking bare time.

2. Barely.
3. Without a condom.

Translations

Noun

bare (plural bares)

1. (‘the bare’) The surface, the (bare) skin.
   • 1599, John Marston, Antonio and Mellida

     In sad good earnest, sir, you have toucht the very bare of naked truth [...]

   • 2002, Darren Shan, Hunters of the dusk: 7:

     Vancha clasped the bare of my neck and squeezed amiably.

2. Surface; body; substance.
   • c. 1599, John Marston, Antonio and Mellida

     You have touched the very bare of naked truth.

3. (architecture) That part of a roofing slate, shingle, tile, or metal plate, which is exposed to the weather.

Etymology 2

From Middle English baren, from Old English barian, from Proto-Germanic *baz?n? (“to bare, make bare”).

Verb

bare (third-person singular simple present bares, present participle baring, simple past and past participle bared)

1. (transitive) To uncover; to reveal.

Usage notes

The verb should not be confused with the verb bear.

Synonyms

• (uncover): expose, lay bare, reveal, show, uncover; see also Thesaurus:reveal

Antonyms

• (uncover): cover, cover up, hide

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 3

Inflected forms.

Verb

bare

1. (obsolete) simple past tense of bear

   • And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon

   • 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 5

     And so I put thee on my shoulder and bare thee back, and here thou art in David's room, and shalt find board and bed with me as long as thou hast mind to

References

• bare in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• bare in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• Aber, Bear, Brea, Reba, bear, brae, rabe

Basque

Pronunciation

• (standard) IPA^(key): /ba.?e/

Etymology 1

Adjective

bare (comparative bareago, superlative bareen, excessive bareegi)

1. calm

Declension

Etymology 2

Noun

bare anim

1. slug

Declension

Etymology 3

Noun

bare inan

1. spleen

Declension

References

• “bare” in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia, euskaltzaindia.eus
• “bare” in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia, euskaltzaindia.eus
• “bare” in Etymological Dictionary of Basque by R. L. Trask, sussex.ac.uk

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?bar?/

Noun

bare

1. vocative singular of bar

Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ba?r?/, [?b????]

Etymology 1

From the adjective bar (“naked”).

Adverb

bare

1. just
2. simply
3. only, merely

Conjunction

bare

1. I wish, I hope, if only (introduces a wish)
   • 1979, Tove Ditlevsen, Vi har kun hinanden: To som elsker hinanden (?ISBN)

     Bare vi var alene.

     I wish we were alone.

   • 2014, Pernille Eybye, Blodets bånd #1: Blodsøstre, Tellerup A/S (?ISBN)

     „Bare jeg kunne blive hele natten," fortsatte han.

     "If only I could stay all night", he continued.

   • 2013, Lyngby-Taarbæk Bibliotekerne, Tanker om tid: 15 udvalgte noveller, BoD – Books on Demand (?ISBN), page 43

     Bare jeg kunne spole tiden tilbage.

     If only I could rewind time.

2. if only (introduces a conditional subclause)

Synonyms

• gid, om, hvis bare, kun

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Adjective

bare

1. inflection of bar:
   1. definite singular
   2. plural

Dutch

Pronunciation

Verb

bare

1. (archaic) singular present subjunctive of baren

Italian

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -are

Noun

bare f

1. plural of bara

Anagrams

• erba

Lithuanian

Noun

bare m

1. locative/vocative singular of baras

Manx

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adjective

bare

1. best

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *b?ra, from Proto-West Germanic *b?ru, from Proto-Germanic *b?r?.

Noun

bâre f

1. bier, stretcher

Declension

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

• Dutch: baar

Further reading

• “bare (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929) , “bare (IV)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, ?ISBN, page IV

Middle English

Noun

bare

1. (Northern) Alternative form of bor

Miriwung

Verb

bare

1. to stand

Northern Kurdish

Etymology

Compare Persian ????? (bâre, “subject, issue”).

Noun

bare m

1. topic
2. hashtag

Derived terms

• di bareya ... de

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

bare

1. definite singular of bar
2. plural of bar

Adverb

bare

1. only, merely, just
2. but

Conjunction

bare

1. if; as long as

See also

• berre (Nynorsk)

References

• “bare” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Anagrams

• aber

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adverb

bare

1. form removed with the spelling reform of 2012; superseded by berre

Serbo-Croatian

Noun

bare (Cyrillic spelling ????)

1. vocative singular of b?r

Noun

bare (Cyrillic spelling ????)

1. inflection of b?ra:
   1. genitive singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative plural

Swedish

Adjective

bare

1. absolute definite natural masculine form of bar.

Anagrams

• aber