merest

英 [ˈmɪərɪst]

美 [ˈmɛrəst]

adj.  仅仅的; 只不过; 只凭…就足以
mere的最高级

柯林斯词典

Meredoes not have a comparative form. The superlative formmerestis used to emphasize how small something is, rather than in comparisons.
mere 没有比较级，最高级 merest 并无比较之义，而是用来强调极其微小。

• ADJ 只不过;仅仅
  You usemereto emphasize how unimportant or inadequate something is, in comparison to the general situation you are describing.
  1. ...successful exhibitions which go beyond mere success...
     不仅仅是成功而是大获成功的展览
  2. There is more to good health than the mere absence of disease...
     身体健康不仅仅指不生病，还包括更多。
  3. In Poland, the faith has always meant more than mere religion...
     在波兰，信仰的含义向来不仅仅指宗教。
  4. She'd never received the merest hint of any communication from him.
     她从未得到他准备沟通的一丁点儿暗示。
• ADJ 极小的，微不足道的，单单(表示虽小却有重要影响)
  You usemereto indicate that a quality or action that is usually unimportant has a very important or strong effect.
  1. The mere mention of food had triggered off hunger pangs...
     单单提到食物就引起了阵阵饥饿感。
  2. Whenever there was a gap in the traffic the merest pressure on the accelerator was enough to close it...
     每当车流里出现了一点儿空距，只要稍稍一踩油门，空距就没有了。
  3. The team manager has been quick to clamp down on the merest hint of complacency.
     球队主教练很快就消除了自满的小苗头。
• ADJ 只不过，仅仅(用于强调数量之小)
  You usemereto emphasize how small a particular amount or number is.
  1. Sixty per cent of teachers are women, but a mere 5 percent of women are heads and deputies...
     有60%的教师是女性，但是担任校长和副校长的女性仅占5%。
  2. Tickets are a mere £7.50 at the door...
     门口买票只要7.5英镑。
  3. For the past two decades, North Carolina taxed cigarettes at a mere 2 cents a packet.
     过去20年里，北卡罗来纳州的香烟税仅为每包2美分。

双语例句

• His behaviour was the merest childish exhibitionism.
  他的行为只不过是幼稚的表现癖而已。
• He gave me the merest hint about what was really going on.
  关于真正发生的事情他只给了我很小的一点暗示。
• Is it possible that you can see anything more than the merest chance in this meeting?
  这一次会面，除了纯粹巧合以外，你真不能看出什么别的意义来吗？
• These pleasures were inexpensive and unexpected; the merest chance furnished them.
  这不需要多大的代价，并且往往是无意中得来的，一点偶然机会便能提供这种乐趣。
• She'd never received the merest hint of any communication from him.
  她从未得到他准备沟通的一丁点儿暗示。
• The merest little thing makes him nervous.
  最微不足道的小事也会使他紧张。
• I received the last you sent on by the merest chance, and after considerable delay through being inland; or I might have come sooner.
  你上次转给我的信，在巴西的内地转来转去，耽误了许久，最后完全是碰巧收到的，不然我会回来得更早些。
• This might have been the merest mischance.
  这也许只是区区小厄运。
• I'm chasing the merest sliver of color.
  我追逐最最细微的色彩。
• To say that Pablo Picasso dominated Western art in the20th century is, by now, the merest commonplace.
  现在你说毕卡索是20世纪西方艺术最了不起的人物，只是老生常谈。