slight

The word slight often appears in situations where something is small in amount, degree, strength, or importance. A slight breeze is gentle. A slight change is small. A slight problem is real, but not serious. In the same way, a slight chance means the possibility is low, though not impossible. The word often gives the feeling of something being present, but only just.

It can also describe physical build. A slight person is thin, light, and not heavy or broad. In this sense, the word is descriptive rather than critical, though the tone depends on context. Writers often use it in stories to sketch a character quickly: a slight girl standing in a doorway, or a slight old man carrying a bag that looks too large for him.

There is also a social meaning. As a noun, a slight is a small act of disrespect. As a verb, to slight someone means to treat them as less important than they should be. This may happen through being ignored, left out, or not properly thanked. The damage is often quiet rather than dramatic, but people remember it because it touches pride and respect. So the word moves easily between the physical and the emotional: it can describe something small and barely noticeable, or a small wound to someone's feelings.