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- DictionaryWeak/wēk/
adjective
- 1. lacking the power to perform physically demanding tasks; lacking physical strength and energy: "she was recovering from the flu and was very weak" Similar frailfeeblepunyfragiledelicateweaklyinfirmsicksicklyshakydebilitatedincapacitatedailingindisposeddecrepitenervatedtiredfatiguedexhaustedspentworn outinformal:weedyOpposite strong
- ▪ lacking political or social power or influence: "the central government had grown too weak to impose order"
- ▪ (of a crew, team, or army) containing too few members or members of insufficient quality: "their problems arose from fielding weak teams in league matches"
- ▪ (of a faculty or part of the body) not able to fulfill its functions properly: "he had a weak stomach" Similar inadequatepoorfeebledefectivefaultyflaweddeficientimperfectsubstandardlackingwantingOpposite strongpowerfulkeen
- ▪ of a low standard; performing or performed badly: "the choruses on this recording are weak" Similar inadequatepoorfeebledefectivefaultyflaweddeficientimperfectsubstandardlackingwantingOpposite strongpowerfulkeen
- ▪ not convincing or logically forceful: "the argument is an extremely weak one" Similar unconvincinguntenabletenuousimplausibleunsatisfactoryslightpoorinadequatethintransparentunsoundfeebleflimsylamehollowinformal:patheticOpposite convincing
- ▪ exerting only a small force: "a weak magnetic field"
- 2. liable to break or give way under pressure; easily damaged: "the salamander's tail may be broken off at a weak spot near the base"
- ▪ lacking the force of character to hold to one's own decisions, beliefs, or principles; irresolute: "he was not weak or a compromiser" Similar irresolutespinelesscravencowardlypusillanimoustimoroustimidindecisiveineffectualuselessinepteffetemeektamepowerlessineffectiveimpotentnamby-pambysoftlily-liveredfaint-heartedinformal:yellowweak-kneedgutlessyellow-belliedchicken-heartedchickenOpposite strongresolute
- ▪ (of a belief, emotion, or attitude) not held or felt with such conviction or intensity as to prevent its being abandoned or dispelled: "their commitment to the project is weak"
- ▪ not in a secure financial position: "people have no faith in weak banks"
- ▪ (of prices or a market) having a downward tendency.
- 3. lacking intensity or brightness: "a weak light from a single street lamp" Similar dimpalewanfaintdullfeeblemutedOpposite strongbright
- ▪ (of a liquid or solution) heavily diluted: "a cup of weak coffee" Similar waterydiluteddilutewatered downthinned downthinadulteratedtastelessflavorlessblandinsipidmildinformal:wishy-washyOpposite strongpowerful
- ▪ (of an acid) only slightly ionized.
- ▪ displaying or characterized by a lack of enthusiasm or energy: "she managed a weak, nervous smile" Similar unenthusiasticfeeblehalfheartedlimplame
- ▪ (of features) not striking or strongly marked: "his beard covered a weak chin"
- ▪ (of a syllable) unstressed.
- 4. denoting a class of verbs in Germanic languages that form the past tense and past participle by addition of a suffix (in English, typically -ed).
- 5. relating to or denoting the weakest of the known kinds of force between particles, which acts only at distances less than about 10−15 cm, is very much weaker than the electromagnetic and the strong interactions, and conserves neither strangeness, parity, nor isospin.
Word Origin Old Englishwāc ‘pliant’, ‘of little worth’, ‘not steadfast’, reinforced in Middle English by Old Norse veikr, from a Germanic base meaning ‘yield, give way’.
Derivatives
- 1. weakish adjective
Scrabble Points: 11
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4E
1A
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