Adjacent Words

Utmost definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

UT'MOST, a.
1. Extreme; being at the furthest point or extremity; as the utmost limit of North America; the utmost limits of the land; the utmost extent of human knowledge.
2. Being in the greatest or highest degree; as the utmost assiduity; the utmost harmony; the utmost misery or happiness; the utmost peril.
UT'MOST, n. The most that can be; the greatest power, degree or effort. He has done his utmost. Try your utmost.
I will be free even to the utmost as I please in words.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity; "extreme cold"; "extreme caution"; "extreme pleasure"; "utmost contempt"; "to the utmost degree"; "in the uttermost distress" [syn: extreme, utmost, uttermost]
2: highest in extent or degree; "to the last measure of human endurance"; "whether they were accomplices in the last degree or a lesser one was...to be determined individually" [syn: last, utmost]
3: (comparatives of `far') most remote in space or time or order; "had traveled to the farthest frontier"; "don't go beyond the farthermost (or furthermost) tree"; "explored the furthest reaches of space"; "the utmost tip of the peninsula" [syn: farthermost, farthest, furthermost, furthest, utmost, uttermost] n
1: the greatest possible degree; "he tried his utmost" [syn: utmost, uttermost, maximum, level best]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, alteration of utmest, from Old English ?tmest, superlative adjective, from ?t out, adverb — more at out Date: before 12th century 1. situated at the farthest or most distant point ; extreme <the utmost point of the earth — John Hunt> 2. of the greatest or highest degree, quantity, number, or amount <a matter of utmost concern> II. noun Date: before 12th century 1. the most possible ; the extreme limit ; the highest attainable point or degree <the utmost in reliability> 2. the highest, greatest, or best of one's abilities, powers, and resources <will do our utmost to help>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. furthest, extreme, or greatest (the utmost limits; showed the utmost reluctance). --n. (prec. by the) the utmost point or degree etc. Phrases and idioms: do one's utmost do all that one can. Etymology: OE ut(e)mest (as OUT, -MOST)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Utmost Ut"most`, n. The most that can be; the farthest limit; the greatest power, degree, or effort; as, he has done his utmost; try your utmost. We have tried the utmost of our friends. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Utmost Ut"most`, a. [OE. utmeste, utemest, AS. ?temest, a superlative fr. ?te out. ????. See Out, and cf. Aftermost, Outmost, Uttermost.] 1. Situated at the farthest point or extremity; farthest out; most distant; extreme; as, the utmost limits of the land; the utmost extent of human knowledge. --Spenser. We coasted within two leagues of Antibes, which is the utmost town in France. --Evelyn. Betwixt two thieves I spend my utmost breath. --Herbert. 2. Being in the greatest or highest degree, quantity, number, or the like; greatest; as, the utmost assiduity; the utmost harmony; the utmost misery or happiness. He shall answer . . . to his utmost peril. --Shak. Six or seven thousand is their utmost power. --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. You can use utmost to emphasize the importance or seriousness of something or to emphasize the way that it is done. It is a matter of the utmost urgency to find out what has happened to these people... Security matters are treated with the utmost seriousness... You should proceed with the utmost caution... ADJ: ADJ n [emphasis] 2. If you say that you are doing your utmost to do something, you are emphasizing that you are trying as hard as you can to do it. (FORMAL) He would have done his utmost to help her, of that she was certain... N-SING: poss N [emphasis] 3. If you say that something is done to the utmost, you are emphasizing that it is done to the greatest extent, amount, or degree possible. My limited diplomatic skills were tested to the utmost... The best plan is to continue to attack him to the utmost of our power. PHRASE: usu PHR after v [emphasis]

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. 1. Extreme, farthest, last, most distant, most remote. 2. Greatest, uttermost. II. n. Best, most, greatest effort, highest endeavor, the most that can be done.

Moby Thesaurus

acme, all, apex, apogee, at the height, at the limit, best, brow, cap, ceiling, climax, cloud nine, crest, crown, culmen, culmination, edge, end, extreme, extreme limit, extremity, far out, farthest, first-class, first-rate, furthermost, furthest, greatest, heaven, heavens, height, high noon, highest, highest degree, highest pitch, highest point, limit, maximal, maximum, meridian, most, mountaintop, ne plus ultra, no place higher, noon, nth degree, outermost, outmost, outside, peak, pinnacle, pitch, point, pole, radical, remotest, ridge, seventh heaven, sky, spire, summit, superlative, supreme, the whole, tip, tip-top, too much, top, top-notch, topmost, ultra, ultra-ultra, upmost, upper extremity, uppermost, utmost extent, uttermost, vertex, very top, way out, zenith