adv
Freq #81298
Meanings
-
1
adv
at least; in any case or if nothing else; informal or dialectal
The road was dry, leastwise until we reached the marsh.
Thesaurus
Etymology
A compound of least + -wise, the suffix meaning 'in the manner or respect of.' It developed as a dialectal and informal alternative to at least, much like the related form leastways.