mere
(redirected from merest)Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia.
mere 1
(mîr)adj. Superlative mer·est
1. Being nothing more than what is specified: a mere child; a mere 50 cents an hour.
2. Considered apart from anything else: shocked by the mere idea.
3. Small; slight: could detect only the merest whisper.
4. Obsolete Pure; unadulterated.
[Middle English, absolute, pure, from Old French mier, pure, from Latin merus.]
mere 2
(mîr)n.
A small lake, pond, or marsh: "Sometimes on lonely mountain meres / I find a magic bark" (Tennyson).
[Middle English, from Old English; see mori- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
mere
(mɪə)adj, superlative merest
being nothing more than something specified: she is a mere child.
[C15: from Latin merus pure, unmixed]
mere
(mɪə)n
1. (Physical Geography) archaic or dialect a lake or marsh
2. (Physical Geography) obsolete the sea or an inlet of it
[Old English mere sea, lake; related to Old Saxon meri sea, Old Norse marr, Old High German mari; compare Latin mare]
mere
(mɪə)n
(Historical Terms) archaic a boundary or boundary marker
[Old English gemǣre]
mere
(ˈmɛrɪ)n
(Arms & Armour (excluding Firearms)) NZ a short flat striking weapon
[Māori]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
mere1
(mɪər)adj. superl. mer•est.
1. being nothing more nor better than what is specified: a mere child.
2. Obs.
a. pure.
b. absolute or unqualified.
[1250–1300; Middle English < Latin merus pure]
mere′ly, adv.
mere2
(mɪər)n.
1. a lake or pond.
2. Obs. the sea.
[before 900; Middle English, Old English; c. Old Frisian mere, Old High German meri, Old Norse marr, Gothic marei, Old Irish muir, Latin mare]
mere3
(mɪər)n.
a boundary or boundary marker.
[before 900; Middle English; Old English(ge)mǣre, c. Middle Dutch mēre, Old Norse mǣri; akin to Latin mūrus wall, rim]
-mere
a combining form meaning “part,” “segment,” “unit,” used esp. in terms describing structures or divisions of a cell: blastomere; centromere.
[comb. form representing Greek méros]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | ![]() Britain, Great Britain, U.K., UK, United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; `Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom |
Adj. | 1. | mere - being nothing more than specified; "a mere child" specified - clearly and explicitly stated; "meals are at specified times" |
2. | mere - apart from anything else; without additions or modifications; "only the bare facts"; "shocked by the mere idea"; "the simple passage of time was enough"; "the simple truth" plain - not elaborate or elaborated; simple; "plain food"; "stuck to the plain facts"; "a plain blue suit"; "a plain rectangular brick building" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
mere
adjective
1. simple, merely, no more than, nothing more than, just, common, plain, pure, pure and simple, unadulterated, unmitigated, unmixed It proved to be a mere trick of fate.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
mere
adjectiveConsidered apart from anything else:
very.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
mere
1 [mɪəʳ] N → lago mmere
2 [mɪəʳ] ADJ (merest (superl)) → mero, simplethe mere fact that → el mero or simple hecho de que ...
the merest jolt can upset the balance of the wheels → la más mínima sacudida puede desequilibrar las ruedas
it was sold for a mere £45 → lo vendieron por apenas 45 libras
a mere child could do it → incluso un niño podría hacerlo
I was a mere child when I married him → no era más que una niña cuando me casé con él, era solamente una niña cuando me casé con él
a mere formality → una mera or pura or simple formalidad
the merest hint of a smile → apenas un atisbo de sonrisa
a mere man → un hombre nada más or (LAm) nomás
it's way beyond the abilities of mere mortals like us → está más allá de la capacidad del común de los mortales como nosotros
a mere nothing → casi nada
the mere sight of blood is enough to make her faint → sólo con ver la sangre or con sólo ver la sangre se desmaya
the merest suggestion of sth → la mera sugerencia de algo
see also mention A1
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
mere
(miə) adjectiveˈmerely adverbKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
mere
→ meroMultilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009