Weaker

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Weak \Weak\ (w[=e]k), a. [Compar. {Weaker} (w[=e]k"[~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[imac]kja to turn, veer, recede, AS. w[imac]can to
     yield, give way, G. weichen, OHG. w[imac]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}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. Wanting physical strength. Specifically: 
        [1913 Webster]
        (a) Deficient in strength of body; feeble; infirm; sickly;
            debilitated; enfeebled; exhausted.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man.
                                                    --Shak.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  Weak with hunger, mad with love.  --Dryden.
            [1913 Webster]
        (b) Not able to sustain a great weight, pressure, or
            strain; as, a weak timber; a weak rope.
            [1913 Webster]
        (c) Not firmly united or adhesive; easily broken or
            separated into pieces; not compact; as, a weak ship.
            [1913 Webster]
        (d) Not stiff; pliant; frail; soft; as, the weak stalk of
            a plant.
            [1913 Webster]
        (e) Not able to resist external force or onset; easily
            subdued or overcome; as, a weak barrier; as, a weak
            fortress.
            [1913 Webster]
        (f) Lacking force of utterance or sound; not sonorous;
            low; small; feeble; faint.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  A voice not soft, weak, piping, and womanish.
                                                    --Ascham.
            [1913 Webster]
        (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.
            [1913 Webster]
        (h) Lacking ability for an appropriate function or office;
            as, weak eyes; a weak stomach; a weak magistrate; a
            weak regiment, or army.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Not possessing or manifesting intellectual, logical,
        moral, or political strength, vigor, etc. Specifically: 
        [1913 Webster]
        (a) Feeble of mind; wanting discernment; lacking vigor;
            spiritless; as, a weak king or magistrate.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  To think every thing disputable is a proof of a
                  weak mind and captious temper.    --Beattie.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  Origen was never weak enough to imagine that
                  there were two Gods.              --Waterland.
            [1913 Webster]
        (b) Resulting from, or indicating, lack of judgment,
            discernment, or firmness; unwise; hence, foolish.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  If evil thence ensue,
                  She first his weak indulgence will accuse.
                                                    --Milton.
            [1913 Webster]
        (c) Not having full confidence or conviction; not decided
            or confirmed; vacillating; wavering.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but
                  not to doubtful disputations.     --Rom. xiv. 1.
            [1913 Webster]
        (d) Not able to withstand temptation, urgency, persuasion,
            etc.; easily impressed, moved, or overcome;
            accessible; vulnerable; as, weak resolutions; weak
            virtue.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  Guard thy heart
                  On this weak side, where most our nature fails.
                                                    --Addison.
            [1913 Webster]
        (e) Wanting in power to influence or bind; as, weak ties;
            a weak sense of honor of duty.
            [1913 Webster]
        (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.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  A case so weak . . . hath much persisted in.
                                                    --Hooker.
            [1913 Webster]
        (g) Wanting in point or vigor of expression; as, a weak
            sentence; a weak style.
            [1913 Webster]
        (h) Not prevalent or effective, or not felt to be
            prevalent; not potent; feeble. "Weak prayers." --Shak.
            [1913 Webster]
        (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.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  I must make fair weather yet awhile,
                  Till Henry be more weak, and I more strong.
                                                    --Shak.
            [1913 Webster]
        (k) (Stock Exchange) Tending towards lower prices; as, a
            weak market.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     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) .
            [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Stock Exchange) Tending toward a lower price or lower
        prices; as, wheat is weak; a weak market.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     5. (Card Playing) Lacking in good cards; deficient as to
        number or strength; as, a hand weak in trumps.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     6. (Photog.) Lacking contrast; as, a weak negative.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     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.
           [1913 Webster]
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {Weak conjugation} (Gram.), the conjugation of weak verbs; --
        called also {new conjugation}, or {regular conjugation},
        and distinguished from the {old conjugation}, or
        {irregular conjugation}.
  
     {Weak declension} (Anglo-Saxon Gram.), the declension of weak
        nouns; also, one of the declensions of adjectives.
  
     {Weak side}, the side or aspect of a person's character or
        disposition by which he is most easily affected or
        influenced; weakness; infirmity.
  
     {weak sore} or {weak ulcer} (Med.), a sore covered with pale,
        flabby, sluggish granulations.
        [1913 Webster]