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   Faint

   /fānt/

   

   adjective

   • 1. (of a sight, smell, or sound) barely perceptible: "the faint murmur of voices" Similar indistinctvagueunclearindefiniteill-definedobscureimperceptiblehardly noticeablehardly detectableunobtrusivepalelightfadedbleachedquietmutedmuffledstifledsubduedfeebleweakthinwhisperedmurmuredindistinctscarcely audiblescarcely perceptiblehard to hearhard to make outvaguelowsoftgentleOpposite clearloud
   • ▪ (of a hope, chance, or possibility) slight; remote: "there is a faint chance that the enemy may flee" Similar slightslenderslimsmalltinyminimalnegligibleremotedistantvagueunlikelyimprobabledoubtfuldubiousfar-fetchedpooroutsideinformal:minusculerare:exiguousOpposite great
   • ▪ lacking in strength or enthusiasm; feeble: "the faint beat of a butterfly's wing" Similar unenthusiastichalfheartedweakfeeblelow-keyinformal:wishy-washyOpposite strong
   • 2. weak and dizzy; close to losing consciousness: "the heat made him feel faint" Similar dizzygiddylightheadedmuzzyweakweak at the kneesunsteadyshakywobblyoff-balancereelinginformal:woozywoollywoolly-headeddopeytremblyall of a quiverrare:vertiginous

   verb

   • 1. lose consciousness for a short time because of a temporarily insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain: "I fainted from loss of blood"
   • ▪ grow weak or feeble; decline: "the fires were fainting"

   noun

   • 1. a sudden loss of consciousness: "she hit the floor in a dead faint"

   Word Origin Middle English (in the sense ‘feigned’, also ‘feeble, cowardly’, surviving in faint heart): from Old French faint, past participle of faindre (see feign). Compare with feint1.

   Derivatives

   • 1. faintness noun

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • F

     4

   • A

     1

   • I

     1

   • N

     1

   • T

     1

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