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weak |
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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