weakenv.
/ˈwiːk(ə)n/, U.S. /ˈwikən/ I. transitive. To make weak or weaker.† 1. To soften.
a. To steep (salt meat) in water, so as to remove the salt. Cf. woke v. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preserving or pickling > pickle or preserve [verb (transitive)] > remove salt
weaken1530
unsalt1547
freshen?1684
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 770/1 I wayken salte meates, I lay them in water. Je attrempe en leaue.
b. To dissolve in acid. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > chemical reactions or processes > subject to chemical reactions or processes [verb (transitive)] > subject to named chemical reaction or process > subject to miscellaneous other processes
reduce?a1425
weaken1540
projecta1550
brown1570
spiritualize1593
colliquate1603
redisperse1621
imbibe1626
educe1651
to cant off1658
part1663
regalize1664
dint1669
roche1679
subtilizea1722
neutralize1744
develop1756
evolve1772
extricate1790
separate1805
unburn1815
leach1860
methylate1864
nitrate1872
nitre1880
sweeten1885
deflocculate1909
hybridize1959
1540 J. Palsgrave tr. G. Gnapheus Comedye of Acolastus ii. i. sig. Hivv Clodius Esopus his sonne dyd at a banket eate a perle, weakened in stronge vyneyger.
2.
a. To lessen the physical strength or vigour of (an animal or plant, its parts or organs); to lessen the functional vigour of (an organ or an organic power).
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > cause to be ill [verb (transitive)] > make weak
fellOE
wastec1230
faintc1386
endull1395
resolvea1398
afaintc1400
defeat?c1400
dissolvec1400
weakc1400
craze1476
feeblish1477
debilite1483
overfeeble1495
plucka1529
to bring low1530
debilitate1541
acraze1549
decaya1554
infirma1555
weaken1569
effeeble1571
enervate1572
enfeeble1576
slay1578
to pull downa1586
prosternate1593
shake1594
to lay along1598
unsinew1598
languefy1607
enerve1613
pulla1616
dispirit1647
imbecilitate1647
unstring1700
to run down1733
sap1755
reduce1767
prostrate1780
shatter1785
undermine1812
imbecile1829
disinvigorate1844
devitalize1849
wreck1850
atrophy1865
crumple1892
the world > life > biology > biological processes > development, growth, or degeneration > [verb (transitive)] > weaken or atrophy
weaken1569
the world > life > the body > bodily constitution > bodily weakness > weakening > weaken [verb (transitive)]
unstrengea1225
unstrength?c1225
feeblea1340
affeeblea1400
weakc1400
affeeblishc1450
enfeeblisha1492
pallc1500
weaken1569
effeeblish?1572
unstrengthen1598
labefy1620
unnerve1621
unmasculate1639
unbrace1711
sinka1715
infirmize1751
slacken1778
exhaust1860
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 707 At the laste battayle the very strengthe of his chiefe souldiours was weakened.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry iii. f. 149v Afore they [sc. swine] goe to pasture, they must be medecined, least the grasse skarre [sic] them to much, by which they wylbe greatly weakened.
1588 R. Greene Pandosto sig. G Who gazeth at the sunne weakeneth his sight.
1643 R. Baker Chron. Kings of Eng. i. 81 So strong a Corrosive is Griefe of mind, when it meetes with a Body weakned before with sicknesse.
1764 Museum Rusticum IV. 30 Such running to seed will weaken the plants much more than several cuttings.
1810 G. Crabbe Borough xxii. 311 Through the water came An hollow Groan, that weaken'd all my Frame.
1831 E. Burton Lect. Eccl. Hist. i. xii. 376 The venerable apostle was..so weakened by age, that his disciples were obliged to carry him to the religious meetings.
1845 G. Budd On Dis. Liver 130 Such measures..weaken the patient, at a time when his assimilating powers can scarcely maintain his actual condition.
1864 Ld. Tennyson Enoch Arden in Enoch Arden, etc. 45 A languor came Upon him, gentle sickness, gradually Weakening the man, till he could do no more, But kept the house, his chair, and last his bed.
b. In Bible phrase, to weaken the hands of: figurative to reduce the effectiveness of (a person or body of persons), to hinder, discourage. Cf. to strengthen the hand of at strengthen v. Phrases.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > [verb (transitive)]
disvail14..
disavail1429
disadvantage?c1550
to weaken the hands of1560
disvantage1567
to take the wind out of the sails of1822
handicap1857
to stack the cards (etc.) against1941
disbenefit1978
1560 Bible (Geneva) vi. 9.
1864 E. B. Pusey Daniel (1876) 135 The people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah.
3. To enfeeble or decrease the vigour of (the mind, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > weakness of intellect > make weak [verb (transitive)]
faintc1386
mollify1490
weaken1536
pamper1576
touch1607
unspirit1607
disnervea1618
petrifya1631
dissinew1640
unbrace1711
atrophy1865
unstring1897
1536 Prymer Eng. & Lat. (STC 15993) f. 133 My spyryte god wotte is wekenyd wonders sore.
1684 Bp. G. Burnet tr. T. More Utopia 88 Unless Age has weakned his Understanding.
1748 S. Richardson Clarissa VI. xxx. 110 When peoples minds are weaken'd by a sense of their own infirmities.
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. xii. 151 His consciousness came back, but the mind was weakened and its functions were impaired.
4. To lessen (authority, influence, power, credit), †to lower the value of (something); †to impoverish (an estate).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > poverty > make poor or impoverish [verb (transitive)]
destroy1297
poverisha1382
apoora1400
impover1418
poora1425
dispurveyc1430
impoverish1440
beggar1528
weaken1530
ruinate1547
ruin1560
depauper1562
depoverish1569
craze1573
soak1577
sift1591
waste1599
impoor1613
uncluea1616
depauperate1623
disenrich1647
necessitate1647
erumnate1676
straiten1699
poorify1711
pauperize1806
pauperate1839
pauper1841
to clear out1884
immiserate1956
penny-pincha1961
immiserize1971
the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > reduce in quantity, amount, or degree [verb (transitive)]
littleeOE
anitherOE
wanzelOE
lessc1225
slakea1300
littenc1300
aslakec1314
adminisha1325
allayc1330
settle1338
low1340
minisha1382
reprovea1382
abatea1398
rebatea1398
subtlea1398
alaskia1400
forlyten?a1400
imminish14..
lessenc1410
diminish1417
repress?a1425
assuagec1430
scarcec1440
small1440
underslakec1440
alessa1450
debate?c1450
batec1460
decreasec1470
appetisse1474
alow1494
mince1499
perswage?1504
remita1513
inless?1521
attenuate1530
weaken1530
defray1532
mitigate1532
minorate1534
narrow?1548
diminuec1550
extenuate1555
amain1578
exolve1578
base1581
dejecta1586
amoinder1588
faint1598
qualify1604
contract1605
to pull down1607
shrivel1609
to take down1610
disaugment1611
impoverish1611
shrink1628
decoct1629
persway1631
unflame1635
straiten1645
depress1647
reduce1649
detract1654
minuate1657
alloy1661
lower?1662
sinka1684
retreat1690
nip1785
to drive down1840
minify1866
to knock down1867
to damp down1869
scale1887
mute1891
clip1938
to roll back1942
to cut back1943
downscale1945
downrate1958
slim1963
downshift1972
society > authority > lack of power > deprive of power [verb (transitive)] > reduce the power of
weaken1530
to shorten the arm or hand of1535
weaken1568
emasculate1608
to pare the claws of1884
defang1919
declaw1940
society > trade and finance > monetary value > price > fluctuation in price > [verb (transitive)] > lower (price)
weaken1530
mitigate1542
abase1551
fall1564
to beat the price1591
to bring down1600
to fetch down1841
degrade1844
to roll back1942
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 770/1 Their power is waykenned: leur pouuoyr est affoyblié or infermé.
1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. clv There can no greater plage inuade a commen wealth, than what time thauthoritie of lawes is weakened and disolued.
1618–20 Essex Archd. Bk. Depositions (MS.) 21 b He..nowe found his estate much weakned and impaired sithence the makinge of the said will.
a1625 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Two Noble Kinsmen (1634) v. vi. 52 A Steed..a black one, owing Not a hayr worth of white, which some will say Weakens his price. View more context for this quotation
1639 S. Du Verger tr. J.-P. Camus Admirable Events 6 Her Father Venon..had much weakned his estate in drawing his deare friend out of prison.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ii. 1002 Weakning the Scepter of old Night. View more context for this quotation
1673 W. Temple Observ. United Provinces viii. 251 Because the loss of every small Outwork does not only weaken the Number, but sink the Courage of the Garrison within.
1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 7 Such a Prostitution of his Presence, he thinks, weakens his Authority.
a1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Own Time (1724) I. 449 While the witnesses were weakning their own credit.
1751 S. Richardson Clarissa (ed. 3) VIII. xlix. 215 Which must weaken the influences of their good works.
1776 A. Smith Inq. Wealth of Nations I. iii. ii. 467 That the power, and consequently the security of the monarchy, may not be weakened by division, it must descend entire to one of the children. View more context for this quotation
1847 G. Harris Life Ld. Hardwicke I. iii. 245 The witness may also be made to weaken his own credit, by the account which he admits of himself, or of his character.
1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ Valerie's Fate iii The slight difference of age between herself and those she taught somewhat weakened her authority.
5. To reduce the strength of (a body of men) in numbers or fighting power; to render (a position) less secure.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > attack > attack [verb (transitive)] > weaken (enemy or position)
affeeble?c1550
weaken1560
society > armed hostility > military operations > distribution of troops > [verb (transitive)] > reduce strength of (troops)
weaken1560
1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. cxxixv What tyme the one parte was thus weakened, the Anabaptistes, doe chouse newe senatours, all of their owne faction.
1580 J. Florio tr. J. Cartier Shorte Narr. Two Nauigations Newe Fraunce 70 Considering how in number we were diminished, and in strength greatlye weakened.
1617 F. Moryson Itinerary ii. 111 Imagining that Tyrone..would not have..any minde to..hinder his retreate when he should have weakened his forces by that Plantation [of a garrison].
1698 J. Collier Short View Immorality Eng. Stage i. 5 Such Licentious Discourse tends..to weaken the Defences of Virtue.
1760 Cautions & Advices to Officers of Army 171 If you should be sent on a Party, observe this Precaution yourself; but let them not be too strong, lest you weaken your main Body.
1860 Löwenthal Morphy's Games Chess 114 This move, however, weakens the K. B's P., which immediately becomes the focus of Black's attack.
1875 G. H. D. Gossip Chess-player's Man. 846 Black would gain a move, but weaken his position.
6. To render weaker in resources, authority, political or military power, or the like.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > lack of power > deprive of power [verb (transitive)] > reduce the power of
weaken1530
to shorten the arm or hand of1535
weaken1568
emasculate1608
to pare the claws of1884
defang1919
declaw1940
1568 Bible (Bishops') Isa. xiv. 12 O Lucifer..Howe hast thou gotten a fall euen to the grounde, which didst weaken the nations?
1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. lxxvi. 225 As long as their amitie which God continued,..nothing could weaken them but Apostasie.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan ii. xvii. 85 So now do Cities and Kingdomes..endeavour as much as they can, to subdue, or weaken their neighbours.
1673 W. Temple Observ. United Provinces i. 17 Both Philip and his Son..found themselves a Match for France, then much weakned, as well by the late wars of England, as the Factions of their Princes.
1713 J. Addison Cato ii. iii Let us not weaken still the weaker side, By our divisions.
1725 D. Defoe Compl. Eng. Tradesman I. vi. 82 As they [sc. those adventures] very rarely add to his credit, so if they lessen the man's stock, they weaken him in the main, and he must at last faint under it.
1853 J. H. Newman Hist. Sketches (1873) II. i. vi. 137 They took every means to weaken and annoy the very men whom they had invited.
1864 J. Bryce Holy Rom. Empire iv. 55 He [Otto] is commonly said to have wished to weaken the aristocracy by raising up rivals to them in the hierarchy.
1887 Field 3 Dec. 862/1 The Old Harrovians were now greatly weakened by the enforced retirement of Rendall.
1915 J. W. Headlam Hist. Twelve Days iii. 83 Serbia would certainly have been humbled and weakened.
7.
a. To render less efficacious.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > cause or effect (harm) [verb (transitive)] > do harm or injury to > affect detrimentally > impair the action or effectiveness of
maimc1395
appale?1530
embezzle1566
weaken1639
cripple1694
derange1776
enfeeble1860
bosh1870
dent1931
1639 J. Saltmarsh Pract. Policie 301 Perseverance preserves and advances that grace which relapses weaken and loose.
1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 309. ¶16 An ordinary Poet would indeed have spun out so many Circumstances to a great Length, and by that means have weakned, instead of illustrated, the principal Fable.
1823 W. Scott Quentin Durward III. x. 271 I..swore..upon another fragment of the true cross which I got from the Grand Seignior, weakened in virtue, doubtless, by sojourning with infidels.
1876 Ld. Tennyson Harold v. i. 151 Let not my strong prayer Be weaken'd in thy sight.
b. To lessen or destroy the strength of (an argument, a case, etc.); to render (a probability) less likely.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > weaken (something immaterial)
to thin off, downc900
feeblea1340
allayc1450
debilite1483
mollify1496
weak1502
geld?1507
water1529
appale?1530
labefact?1539
debilitate1541
mortify1553
effeeble1571
dilutea1575
soften1576
unsinew1599
melt1600
infringe1604
weaken1609
unbenda1616
dissinew1640
slacken1663
thin1670
resolve1715
imbecilitate1809
imbecile1829
to let down1832
to water down1832
1609 W. Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida i. iii. 195 Aiax..sets Thersites A slaue,..To match vs in comparisons with durt, To weaken our discredit, our exposure. View more context for this quotation
1644 J. Maxwell Sacro-sancta Regum Majestas 46 This weakeneth no wayes our argument.
1796 H. Hunter tr. J.-H. B. de Saint-Pierre Stud. Nature (1799) I. 166 This concession no more weakens the probability of the hydraulic cause, which I apply to it, than that of the principle of the attraction of the heavenly bodies, which [etc.].
1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. xx. 527 They well knew that an inquiry could not strengthen their case, and might weaken it.
1886 J. B. Mayor Eng. Metre 76 This would very much weaken, if not entirely destroy, the evidence in favour of such feet.
c. To render (faith, resolve, conviction) weaker.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > weaken (something immaterial) > specific faith, resolve, or conviction
appale?1530
weaken1848
1848 E. C. Gaskell Mary Barton I. xii. 230 Don't let my being an unbelieving Thomas weaken your faith.
8. To render (a material thing) less strong or more liable to fracture.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > weakness > make weak [verb (transitive)]
shake1569
enervate1667
shock1726
weaken1827
1827 M. Faraday Chem. Manip. ix. 237 A hole..will appear before the filter is finished; or if not, it will be so weakened, as to be unable to bear a quantity of fluid without breaking.
1857 Dempsey Archit. Pract. 51 Closers must never be allowed except in the quoins; where they necessarily must occur, in order not to weaken the work by cutting those bricks which show on both faces.
1910 J. Bartlett in Encycl. Brit. V. 387/1 The timbers are held together with a spike. In this way they are not weakened.
1914 M. Barrett Footprints Anc. Sc. Church i. 36 This weakened the central tower, which fell with a crash in 1688.
9.
a. To reduce the intensity of (a colour, sound, fire).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > make less forceful or vigorous
extenuate1561
quay1590
retund1604
lower1666
weaken1683
subdue1723
feeble1831
soft-pedal1898
the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > reduce in quantity, amount, or degree [verb (transitive)] > tone down
temperc1000
modifyc1385
softenc1410
tame?a1500
qualify1536
temperatea1540
extenuate1561
supple1609
dilute1665
palliate1665
weaken1683
subdue1723
lower1780
modulate1783
to shade away1817
to water down1832
to water down1836
sober1838
veil1843
to tone down1847
to break down1859
soothe1860
tone1884
to key down1891
soft-pedal1912
1683 W. Salmon Doron Medicum ii. 378 Then weaken the fire, and draw off a strong cinnamon water.
1733 School of Miniature 34 In working thereon with Green, it constantly weakens the Red which had first been laid on.
1791 W. Hamilton tr. C.-L. Berthollet Elements Art of Dyeing II. 143 This weakens the colour of the madder.
1805 Jrnl. Nat. Philos. June 129 Both sounds grew weaker in proportion as I retired from the striking point; but that transmitted by the stone was weakened much more rapidly than that transmitted through the air.
1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 531 The oxygen..acts upon the colouring particles; it combines with them, and weakens their colour.
1876 P. G. Tait Lect. Recent Adv. in Physical Sci. ix. 220 The atmosphere might merely have weakened the various kinds of sunlight.
b. Phonetics. To reduce in force of utterance.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > intonation, pitch, or stress > [verb (transitive)] > stress > weaken
weaken1863
1863 T. Benfey Pract. Gram. Sanskrit §187. 153 Many verbs…are weakened..by rejecting final or penultimate nasals.
1869 J. Peile Introd. Greek & Lat. Etymol. 124 As for example when α in Greek is weakened to ι.
1874 A. J. Ellis On Early Eng. Pronunc. IV. iv. 1282 In the first case the vowel is strengthened, in the latter weakened.
1877 H. Sweet Primer of Phonetics §273 (1902) 95 There is a distinct tendency to weaken the stress of the last syllable of a syllable-group.
1888 H. Sweet Hist. Eng. Sounds (new ed.) 186 In drawen the w was probably soon weakened into an u.
1908 H. Sweet Sounds of Eng. 51 The falling diphthongs weaken their second elements, so that they are no longer full i, u.
10. Cards. To lessen the strength of (one's hand, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > play a card [verb (transitive)] > actions or tactics
to hold up?1499
decardc1555
to turn up1580
discard1591
pulla1625
to sit out1659
face1674
to make out1680
to lay out1687
to throw away1707
lead1739
weaken1742
carry1744
to take in1744
force1746
to show down1768
throw1866
blank1884
block1884
cover1885
unblock1885
pitch1890
1742 E. Hoyle Short Treat. Game Whist iii. 29 Whereas if you had trumped one of your Adversaries best Cards, you had so weakened your Hand, as probably not to make more than five Tricks without your Partner's help.
1862 ‘Cavendish’ Princ. Whist (1864) 47 You weaken a suit by discarding from it, and lessen the number of long cards you might otherwise establish.
11. To render (market prices, a market) less firm.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > monetary value > price > fluctuation in price > [verb (transitive)] > lower (price) > cause to decline > make prices less firm
weaken1875
1875 Economist 2 Jan. 20/1 Stocks being quite small, the increased receipts do not have much effect as yet in weakening prices.
1883 Manch. Examiner 26 Nov. 4/2 Advices from Manchester have tended to weaken the cotton market.
II. intransitive.
12.
a. To grow or become weak or weaker.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > bodily constitution > bodily weakness > become weak [verb (intransitive)]
woke993
unstrengea1225
feeble?c1225
windlec1325
enfeeblish1382
weaken?1541
spindle1863
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)] > become weak
littleOE
faintc1450
weaken?1541
quail1557
quell1579
faltera1677
the world > health and disease > ill health > be in ill health [verb (intransitive)] > be weak > become weak
of-fall?a1200
fail?c1225
wastea1300
languisha1325
defail1340
languora1375
defaulta1382
wastea1387
faintc1450
mortifyc1475
hink?a1500
traik?a1513
droopc1540
unquick1595
macerate1598
dodder1617
lachanize1623
smartle1673
break1726
go1748
sink1780
wilt1787
falter1799
weaken1886
to go down1892
to go out of curl1924
?1541 R. Copland Guy de Chauliac's Questyonary Cyrurgyens iv. sig. Oj It shuld be daunger of to moche resolucyon, and that the strength shuld weyken.
1594 R. Ashley tr. L. le Roy Interchangeable Course 81 b By transporting the principal forces, and riches, from Rome to Bizantium, diuiding of the Empire into the East and West; they weakned much.
1609 S. Rowlands Famous Hist. Guy Earle of Warwick 32 The Emperor..with new forces gave a new assault, Knowing the City could not be relieved, And then their strength would weaken by default.
a1616 W. Shakespeare King Lear (1623) i. iv. 210 His Notion weakens.
1733 School of Miniature 34 With the same Mixture form all the Shades, adding White as they weaken.
1821 J. Clare Village Minstrel II. 202 While o'er the meadow's little fluttering rill The twittering sunbeam weakens cool and dim.
1855 R. Browning Old Pictures in Florence vi Wherever an outline weakens and wanes.
1876 J. Ellis Caesar in Egypt 151 The body weakens, but the soul is strong.
1884 W. D. Howells in Harper's Mag. Dec. 123/2 These hydraulic elevators weaken sometimes, and can't go any further.
1886 T. Hardy Mayor of Casterbridge I. xviii. 224 Mrs. Henchard was weakening visibly [in health].
1920 Times Lit. Suppl. 23 Sept. 621/4 The plot weakens a little towards the end.
b. (originally U.S.) To take a less firm attitude, to recede from a standpoint, to give way.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > be irresolute or vacillate [verb (intransitive)] > waver
flecchec1300
waverc1315
remue1340
shake1340
flitc1386
flow1434
falter1521
flitter1543
to waver as, like, with the wind1548
rove1549
float1598
jarga1614
give ground1662
weaken1876
unbend1877
1876 ‘M. Twain’ Adventures Tom Sawyer xxvii. 211 Don't you ever weaken, Huck, and I won't.
1882 B. Harte Flip, & Found at Blazing Star 31 ‘Go 'long. Dad, you're talking silly!’ The old man weakened.
1890 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 13 Sept. 73 A man whom he took for an accomplice weakened when the first child was to be taken and exposed the scheme.
1899 Westm. Gaz. 2 Dec. 2/2 The Church will indeed suffer an immense loss of moral prestige if she now weakens on this subject.
Derivatives
ˈweakened adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > [adjective] > harmed or affected detrimentally
annoyedc1330
infectc1384
palledc1390
harmedc1440
hinderedc1440
weakened1548
maimed1570
interessed1598
crazy1601
impaired1611
wronged1632
appaired1637
deboist1641
sunken1642
vitiated1660
crippled1674
wounded1692
etiolated1847
injured1857
murdered1876
dicked-up1967
the world > matter > constitution of matter > weakness > [adjective] > weakened
weakened1548
shaken1614
shaked1673
the world > life > the body > bodily constitution > bodily weakness > weakening > [adjective] > weakened
gelded1531
weakened1548
appalled1574
affeebled1577
unnerved1603
retuse1654
enfeebleda1657
unstrengthened1806–20
rocky1883
the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > intonation, pitch, or stress > [adjective] > accent > stressed > unstressed > made or become
weakened1869
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [adjective] > weakened
acrazed1521
extenuate1555
dispirited1659
diluted1681
deadened1720
evirtuate1799
attenuated1828
watered1866
weakened1870
1548 T. Cooper Bibliotheca Eliotæ (rev. ed.) Attenuatus,..appayred, weakened, diminished.
1577 J. Grange Golden Aphroditis sig. Givv The fountayne Granus giueth strength vnto the weakened bone.
1594 1st Pt. Raigne Selimus 157 My sonnes..May take occasion of my weakned age, And rise in rebell armes against my state.
1708 F. Atterbury 14 Serm. 115 When a Warlike and Savage Race of Men..set upon a dissolute, divided, and weakned Enemy.
1811 J. Austen Sense & Sensibility II. vii. 111 An aching head, a weakened stomach, and a general nervous faintness. View more context for this quotation
1869 J. Peile Introd. Greek & Lat. Etymol. 159 The French u is a similar example of weakened articulation.
1870 W. S. Jevons Elem. Lessons Logic xvi. 140 They are said to have a weakened conclusion because the conclusion is particular.
1874 A. J. Ellis On Early Eng. Pronunc. IV. iv. 1284 In point of fact this (ə) is a ‘weakened’ (u) reduced to (o).
1893 H. P. Liddon et al. Life E. B. Pusey I. xiii. 305 The proposed change, in Pusey's eyes, involves at least a weakened recognition of that duty [of propagating religious truth].
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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