"not in the least" 是一个强调否定的英语短语,意为“一点也不,丝毫不,完全不”,相当于更口语化的 "not at all",但语气更正式或更加强调否定的程度。
该短语主要用于否定句中,修饰形容词、副词或动词,突出“完全没有某状态/动作”。常见用法分为两类:
当被问到“是否介意/在意/困难”等问题时,用 "Not in the least." 直接回应,表“完全不”。
例1:
— Do you mind if I borrow your pen?(我借你钢笔你介意吗?)
— Not in the least—here you go.(一点也不——拿去吧。)
例2:
— Was the hike tiring?(徒步累吗?)
— Not in the least—I loved every minute of it.(一点也不累——我全程都很开心。)
放在被修饰的形容词、副词或动词之后,或与 be 动词/助动词连用(如 "is not in the least + 形容词"),强调否定的彻底性。
修饰形容词:
The movie wasn't interesting in the least.(这部电影一点也不有趣。)
She is not in the least worried about the exam.(她对考试丝毫不担心。)
修饰动词:
He doesn't care in the least what others think of him.(他根本不在乎别人怎么看他。)
I didn't like the restaurant in the least— the service was terrible.(我一点也不喜欢那家餐厅——服务太差了。)
注意不要和 "not least" 混淆,二者意思完全相反:
not in the least:否定,表“一点也不”;
not least:肯定,表“尤其,特别(强调某因素的重要性)”。
例:Many students joined the club, not least because of the free snacks.(很多学生加入俱乐部,尤其是因为有免费零食。)
"not in the least" 是一个强否定短语,用于强调“完全没有”,可灵活用于回答问题或修饰句子成分,是提升表达正式度和强调语气的实用短语。