1. Wanting physical strength. Specifically:

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)





Lacking force of utterance or sound; not sonorous; low; small; feeble; faint. A voice not soft, weak, piping, and womanish. (Ascham)



2. Not possessing or manifesting intellectual, logical, moral, or political strength, vigor, etc. Specifically: [[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)

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)

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)

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)


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. A case so weak . . . Hath much persisted in. (hooker)


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

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 b88 ]]. (Shak) Tending towards lower prices; as, a weak market.

3. 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 . Pertaining to, or designating, a noun in Anglo-saxon, etc, the stem of which ends in -n. See Strong, 19 .


(Science: medicine) Weak conjugation, a sore covered with pale, flabby, sluggish granulations.

Origin: OE. Weik, Icel. Veikr; akin to Sw. Vek, Dan. Veg soft, flexible, pliant, AS. Wac weak, soft, pliant, D. Week, G. Weich, OHG. Weih; all from the verb seen in Icel. Vikja to turn, veer, recede, AS. Wican to yield, give way, G. Weichen, OHG. Wihhan, akin to Skr. Vij, and probably to E. Week, L. Vicis a change, turn, Gr. To yield, give way. 132. Cf. Week, Wink, Vicissitude.

Retrieved from "http://www.biology-online.org/bodict/index.php?title=Weak&oldid=1022"
First | Previous (Wdll) | Next (Weak-hearted) | Last