4 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Weak \Weak\ (w[=e]k), a. [Compar. {Weaker} (-[~e]r); superl.
{Weakest}.] [OE. weik, Icel. veikr akin to Sw vek, Dan. veg
soft, flexible, pliant, AS w[=a]c weak, soft, pliant, D.
week, G. weich, OHG. weih; all from the verb seen in Icel.
v[=i]kja to turn, veer, recede, AS w[=i]can to yield, give
way G. weichen OHG. w[=i]hhan, akin to Skr. vij, and
probably to E. week, L. vicis a change, turn, Gr e'i`kein to
yield, give way [root]132. Cf {Week}, {Wink}, v. i.
{Vicissitude}.]
1. Wanting physical strength. Specifically:
a Deficient in strength of body; feeble; infirm; sickly;
debilitated; enfeebled; exhausted.
A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man.
--Shak.
Weak with hunger, mad with love. --Dryden.
b Not able to sustain a great weight, pressure, or
strain; as a weak timber; a weak rope.
c Not firmly united or adhesive; easily broken or
separated into pieces; not compact; as a weak ship.
d Not stiff; pliant; frail; soft; as the weak stalk of
a plant.
e Not able to resist external force or onset; easily
subdued or overcome; as a weak barrier; as a weak
fortress.
f Lacking force of utterance or sound; not sonorous;
low small feeble; faint.
A voice not soft, weak, piping, and womanish.
--Ascham.
g Not thoroughly or abundantly impregnated with the
usual or required ingredients, or with stimulating and
nourishing substances; of less than the usual
strength; as weak tea, broth, or liquor; a weak
decoction or solution; a weak dose of medicine.
h Lacking ability for an appropriate function or office;
as weak eyes; a weak stomach; a weak magistrate; a
weak regiment, or army.
2. Not possessing or manifesting intellectual, logical,
moral, or political strength, vigor, etc Specifically:
a Feeble of mind; wanting discernment; lacking vigor;
spiritless; as a weak king or magistrate.
To think every thing disputable is a proof of a
weak mind and captious temper. --Beattie.
Origen was never weak enough to imagine that
there were two Gods. --Waterland.
b Resulting from or indicating, lack of judgment,
discernment, or firmness; unwise; hence foolish.
If evil thence ensue, She first his weak
indulgence will accuse. --Milton.
c Not having full confidence or conviction; not decided
or confirmed; vacillating; wavering.
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye but
not to doubtful disputations. --Rom. xiv. 1.
d Not able to withstand temptation, urgency, persuasion,
etc.; easily impressed, moved or overcome;
accessible; vulnerable; as weak resolutions; weak
virtue.
Guard thy heart On this weak side where most
our nature fails --Addison.
e Wanting in power to influence or bind; as weak ties;
a weak sense of honor of duty.
f Not having power to convince; not supported by force
of reason or truth; unsustained as a weak argument
or case. ``Convinced of his weak arguing.'' --Milton.
A case so weak . . . hath much persisted in
--Hooker.
g Wanting in point or vigor of expression; as a weak
sentence; a weak style.
h Not prevalent or effective, or not felt to be
prevalent; not potent; feeble. ``Weak prayers.''
--Shak.
i Lacking in elements of political strength; not
wielding or having authority or energy; deficient in
the resources that are essential to a ruler or nation;
as a weak monarch; a weak government or state.
I must make fair weather yet awhile, Till Henry
be more weak, and I more strong. --Shak.
k (Stock Exchange) Tending towards lower prices; as a
weak market.
3. (Gram.)
a Pertaining to or designating, a verb which forms its
preterit (imperfect) and past participle by adding to
the present the suffix -ed, -d, or the variant form
-t; as in the verbs abash, abashed; abate, abated;
deny, denied; feel felt. See {Strong}, 19
a .
b Pertaining to or designating, a noun in Anglo-Saxon,
etc., the stem of which ends in -n. See {Strong}, 19
b .
Note: Weak is often used in the formation of self-explaining
compounds; as weak-eyed, weak-handed, weak-hearted,
weak-minded, weak-spirited, and the like
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Weak \Weak\, v. t. & i. [Cf. AS w?can. w[=a]cian. See {Weak},
a.]
To make or become weak; to weaken. [R.]
Never to seek weaking variety. --Marston.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Weak \Weak\, a.
1. (Stock Exchange) Tending toward a lower price or lower
prices; as wheat is weak; a weak market.
2. (Card Playing) Lacking in good cards; deficient as to
number or strength; as a hand weak in trumps.
3. (Photog.) Lacking contrast; as a weak negative.
From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]:
weak
adj 1: having little physical or spiritual strength; "a weak radio
signal"; "a weak link" [ant: {strong}]
2: lacking power [syn: {powerless}] [ant: {powerful}]
3: overly diluted; thin and insipid; "washy coffee"; "watery
milk"; "weak tea" [syn: {watery}, {washy}]
4: used of vowels or syllables; pronounced with little or no
stress; "a syllable that ends in a short vowel is a light
syllable"; "a weak stress on the second syllable" [syn: {unaccented},
{light}]
5: having the attributes of man as opposed to e.g. divine
beings; "I'm only human"; "frail humanity" [syn: {fallible},
{frail}, {imperfect}]
6: lacking force; feeble; "a forceless argument" [syn: {forceless},
{unforceful}] [ant: {forceful}]
7: lacking physical strength or vitality; "a feeble old woman";
"her body looked sapless" [syn: {decrepit}, {feeble}, {infirm},
{sapless}, {weakly}]
8: (grammar) used of verbs having standard (or regular)
inflection
9: lacking physical strength or vigor
10: characterized by excessive softness or self-indulgence; "an
effeminate civilization" [syn: {effeminate}]
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