SG Heritage Dictionary

Word of the Day: Catachrestical

Weak [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. Having little physical strength; feeble. Children are born weak; men are rendered weak by disease.

2. Infirm; not healthy; as a weak constitution.

3. Not able to bear a great weight; as a weak bridge; weak timber.

4. Not strong; not compact; easily broken; as a weak ship; a weak rope.

5. Not able to resist a violent attack; as a weak fortress.

6. Soft; pliant; not stiff.

7. Low; small; feeble; as a weak voice.

8. Feeble of mind; wanting spirit; wanting vigor of understanding; as a weak prince; a weak magistrate.

9. To think every thing disputable, si a proof of a weak mind and captious temper.

10. Not much impregnated with ingredients, or with things that excite action, or with stimulating and nourishing substances; as weak broth; weak tea; weak toddy; a weak solution; a weak decoction.

11. Not politically powerful; as a weak nation or state.

12. Not having force of authority or energy; as a weak government.

13. Not having moral force or power to convince; not well supported by truth or reason; as a weak argument.

14. Not well supported by argument; as weak reasoning.

15. Unfortified; accessible; impressible; as the weak side of a person.

16. Not having full conviction or confidence; as weak in faith.

17. weak land is land of a light thin soil. [I believe never used in New England.]

Weak [Verb intransitive] Webster's Dictionary 1828

To become weak [Not used.]

Weak [Verb transitive] Webster's Dictionary 1828

To make weak [Not used.]

Weak [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

To make or become weak; to weaken.

Weak [Verb intransitive] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. Wanting physical strength.

2. Deficient in strength of body; feeble; infirm; sickly; debilitated; enfeebled; exhausted.

3. Not able to sustain a great weight, pressure, or strain; as, a weak timber; a weak rope.

4. Not firmly united or adhesive; easily broken or separated into pieces; not compact; as, a weak ship.

5. Not stiff; pliant; frail; soft; as, the weak stalk of a plant.

6. Not able to resist external force or onset; easily subdued or overcome; as, a weak barrier; as, a weak fortress.

7. Lacking force of utterance or sound; not sonorous; low; small; feeble; faint.

8. 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.

9. Lacking ability for an appropriate function or office; as, weak eyes; a weak stomach; a weak magistrate; a weak regiment, or army.

10. Not possessing or manifesting intellectual, logical, moral, or political strength, vigor, etc.

11. Feeble of mind; wanting discernment; lacking vigor; spiritless; as, a weak king or magistrate.

12. Resulting from, or indicating, lack of judgment, discernment, or firmness; unwise; hence, foolish.

13. Not having full confidence or conviction; not decided or confirmed; vacillating; wavering.

14. Not able to withstand temptation, urgency, persuasion, etc.; easily impressed, moved, or overcome; accessible; vulnerable; as, weak resolutions; weak virtue.

15. Wanting in power to influence or bind; as, weak ties; a weak sense of honor of duty.

16. Not having power to convince; not supported by force of reason or truth; unsustained; as, a weak argument or case.

17. Wanting in point or vigor of expression; as, a weak sentence; a weak style.

18. Not prevalent or effective, or not felt to be prevalent; not potent; feeble.

19. 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.

20. Tending towards lower prices; as, a weak market.

21. 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).

22. Pertaining to, or designating, a noun in Anglo-Saxon, etc., the stem of which ends in -n. See Strong, 19 (b).

Weak-hearted [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Having little courage; dispirited.

Weak-hearted [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Having little courage; of feeble spirit; dispirited; faint-hearted.

Weak-kneed [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Having weak knees; hence, easily yielding; wanting resolution.

Weak-minded [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Having a weak mind, either naturally or by reason of disease; feebleminded; foolish; idiotic.

Weaken [Verb transitive] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. To lessen the strength of, or to deprive of strength; to debilitate; to enfeeble; as, to weaken the body; to weaken the mind; to weaken the hands of the magistrate; to weaken the force of an objection or an argument.

2. To reduce in strength or spirit; as, to weaken tea; to weaken any solution or decoction.

Weaken [Verb intransitive] Webster's Dictionary 1913

To become weak or weaker; to lose strength, spirit, or determination; to become less positive or resolute; as, the patient weakened; the witness weakened on cross-examination.

Weaken [Verb transitive] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. To make weak; to lessen the strength of; to deprive of strength; to debilitate; to enfeeble; to enervate; as, to weaken the body or the mind; to weaken the hands of a magistrate; to weaken the force of an objection or an argument.

2. To reduce in quality, strength, or spirit; as, to weaken tea; to weaken any solution or decoction.

Weakened [Participle passive] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Debilitated; enfeebled; reduced in strength.

Weakened [Imperfect tense and past participle] Webster's Dictionary 1913

of Weaken

Weakener [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

He or that which weakens.

Weakener [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

One who, or that which, weakens.

Weakening [Participle present tense] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Debilitating; enfeebling; reducing the strength or vigor of any thing.

Weakening [Present participle and verbal noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

of Weaken

Weakfish [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Any fish of the genus Cynoscion; a squeteague; -- so called from its tender mouth. See Squeteague.

Weakish [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Somewhat weak; rather weak.

Weakishness [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Quality or state of being weakish.

Weakling [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

A feeble creature.

Weakling [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Weak; feeble.

Weakling [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

A weak or feeble creature.

Weakly [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Not strong of constitution; infirm; as a weakly woman; a man of a weakly constitution.

Weakly [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. Feebly; with little physical strength; faintly; not forcible; as a fortress weakly defended.

2. With want of efficacy.

3. Was plighted faith so weakly seald above?

4. With feebleness of mind or intellect; indiscretely; injuriously.

5. Beneath pretended justice weakly fall.

6. Timorously; with little courage or fortitude.

Weakly [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1913

In a weak manner; with little strength or vigor; feebly.

Weakly [Superlative] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Not strong of constitution; infirm; feeble; as, a weakly woman; a man of a weakly constitution.

Weakness [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. Want of physical strength; want of force or vigor; feebleness; as the weakness of a child; the weakness of an invalid; the weakness of a wall or bridge, or of thread or cordage.

2. Want of sprightliness.

3. Soft, without weakness; without glaring, gay.

4. Want of steadiness.

5. By such a review, we shall discern and strengthen our weaknesses.

6. Infirmity; unhealthiness; as weakness of constitution.

7. Want of moral force or effect upon the mind; as the weakness of evidence; the weakness of arguments.

8. Want of judgment; feebleness of mind; foolishness.

9. All wickedness is weakness

10. Defect; failing; fault; with a plural.

11. Many take pleasure in spreading abroad the weaknesses of an exalted character.

Weakness [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. The quality or state of being weak; want of strength or firmness; lack of vigor; want of resolution or of moral strength; feebleness.

2. That which is a mark of lack of strength or resolution; a fault; a defect.

Weakside [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Foible; deficience; failing; infirmity.

King James Bible KJV Bible

Berean Standard Bible BSB Bible

75 KJV and 72 BSB verses contain “weak” — showing the first 20. Show all 104 verses (searchable)

Genesis 27:1

And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.

When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” Esau replied.

Genesis 29:17

Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.

Genesis 30:42

But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s.

But if the animals were weak, he did not set out the branches. So the weaker animals went to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob.

Numbers 13:18

And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;

See what the land is like and whether its people are strong or weak, few or many.

Deuteronomy 34:7

And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not diminished.

Judges 6:15

And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.

“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”

Judges 16:7

And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

Samson told her, “If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I will become as weak as any other man.”

Judges 16:11

And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

He replied, “If they tie me up with new ropes that have never been used, I will become as weak as any other man.”

Judges 16:13

And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have mocked me and lied to me all along! Tell me how you can be tied up.” He told her, “If you weave the seven braids of my head into the web of a loom and tighten it with a pin, I will become as weak as any other man.”

Judges 16:17

That he told her all his heart, and said unto her. There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.

Samson told her all that was in his heart: “My hair has never been cut, because I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, my strength will leave me, and I will become as weak as any other man.”

2 Samuel 3:1

Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

2 Samuel 3:39

And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

And I am weak this day, though anointed as king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil!”

2 Samuel 17:2

And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:

I will attack him while he is weak and weary; I will throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will flee; I will strike down only the king

2 Chronicles 15:7

Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.

But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.”

Ezra 4:4

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.

Nehemiah 6:9

For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

For they were all trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.

Job 4:3

Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

Surely you have instructed many, and have strengthened their feeble hands.

Job 12:21

He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.

Psalms 6:2

Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am frail; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are in agony.

Psalms 82:3

Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed.