Not a Shred of Evidence Uses the Smallest Unit English Has
A shred is a thin strip torn from something. English uses its smallest nouns to make the strongest negatives.
A shred is a thin strip torn or cut from something. *Not a shred of evidence* belongs to a pattern English uses constantly: pick the smallest possible unit and deny even that. *Not a jot*, *not an iota*, *not a whit*, *not a scrap*, *not a crumb* all work the same way, and *iota* and *jot* are both the Greek letter *i*, the smallest in the alphabet. To *shred* documents is a twentieth-century use; the machine was patented in 1909.
- A thin strip. *Shreds of paper.*
- To tear into strips. *Shred the documents.*
- Not a shred — none at all. *Not a shred of proof.*
- Shredder — the machine. *A paper shredder.*
- Old English — *screade*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | shred | A shred. |
| Plural | shreds | Shreds. |
| Verb | shred | Shred it. |
| Past | shredded | Shredded. |
| Agent | shredder | A shredder. |
- The sail was torn to shreds.Strips.
- There is not a shred of evidence.Idiom.
- Shred the confidential papers.Verb.
Smallest units used for emphasis
- Not a shred — a torn strip
- Not a jot — the Greek letter iota, the smallest
- Not an iota — the same letter, borrowed directly
- Not a whit — from an old word for a small creature or bit
- Not a scrap — a leftover fragment
Old English *screade*, a piece cut off, of Germanic origin, related to *shroud*.
Are jot and iota the same?
Yes. Both refer to the Greek letter iota, the smallest in the alphabet, used to mean the tiniest possible amount.
Are shred and shroud related?
Yes. Both come from a Germanic root meaning a cut piece of cloth.