punypu‧ny /ˈpjuːni/ adjective 
a puny little guy puny arms► see thesaurus at weak2not effective or impressivepuny effort/attempt a puny attempt at humour Our efforts look puny beside Fred’s.3a puny amount of money is too small: She was awarded a puny £1,000 in compensation.
WORD ORIGINpuny
Origin:
1500-1600 Old French puisné ‘younger’, from puis ‘afterward’ + né ‘born’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- puny profits
- a puny kid
- His wife was such a big strong woman, she made him look puny.
- Pete was a puny little boy with short hair and glasses.
- And they had to take four semesters of hygiene, or gym-perhaps to counter their waxy pallor and puny stature.
- Can you still get your divorce on such puny, immediately regretted unfaithfulness?
- Oh, how puny my contemporaries seem by comparison!
- Persuasive in its action moments but puny in terms of character and dialogue.
- So, Cyclops, you were not quite strong enough to eat all of the puny men?
- The relatively puny father-of-three could have been forgiven for having second thoughts when he was picked.
- Volker's puny body shook with anger.
THESAURUSnot physically strong
not physically strong, sometimes because you are ill: · Tom’s had flu and he’s still feeling weak.· The doctors said she was too weak to have an operation.· He suffered constantly from a weak chest.
weak and thin, especially because you are old: · a frail 85-year-old lady· My grandfather’s becoming quite frail now.
feeling weak in your legs and only able to walk slowly and unsteadily: · When I came out of hospital I was a bit shaky for a while.
especially disapproving small, thin, and looking very weak: · his puny white arms· He was a puny little boy who was often bullied at school.
especially written weak and unable to do much because you are very ill, very old or very young: · For a week she was too feeble to get out of bed.· a tiny, feeble baby
weak and often becoming ill easily: · a delicate child· She had rather a delicate constitution (=her body easily became ill).
formal weak or ill for a long time, especially because you are old: · a residential home for people who are elderly and infirm· There are special facilities for wheelchair users and infirm guests.
formal weak or ill because you have not had enough good food to eat: · Half a million people there are severely malnourished.· The organization provides emergency feeding for malnourished children.
Longman Language Activatorphysically weak someone who is weak is not strong enough to lift heavy things or do a lot of physical work, especially because they are ill: · When you have flu, you feel tired and weak for a long time.· The child was too weak to undergo a transplant operation.· I can't go running - I've got a weak heart.weak from/with: · The soldiers were weak from hunger and exhaustion.· She felt weak with emotion at the sight of him.
someone who is frail is thin and weak, especially because they are old: · a frail 85-year-old lady· She sat up a little straighter, raising her frail body in the bed.
not physically strong because of being very young, old, ill etc,: · My grandmother's very feeble now and needs someone at home full-time to look after her.· He did not remember his sister at all, except as a tiny, feeble baby.
someone who is fragile is so weak and delicate that they look as if they could easily be hurt: · The baby felt so fragile in his arms.· Two ambulance attendants picked up his fragile body and put him carefully onto a stretcher.
feeling weak in your legs and only able to walk slowly and unsteadily: · Even after the long months of therapy Owen was still very shaky.be shaky on your feet: · Her grandfather was a little shaky on his feet after the fall.shaky steps: · The baby's taken her first few shaky steps.
especially written a man or boy who is puny is small, thin, and looks very weak: · Pete was a puny little boy with short hair and glasses.· His wife was such a big strong woman, she made him look puny.
British informal a man or boy who is weedy is thin and looks weak: · Mouse got his nickname because he was small and weedy.
someone, especially a boy or young man, who is weak and is not willing to fight or defend himself: · Most of the kids were weaklings and were frightened of getting in a fight.
British informal someone, especially a boy or young man, who is thin and weak - sometimes used humorously: · Everyone called me a weed when I was at school because I was so bad at sports.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY a puny little guy a puny attempt at humour
1a puny person is small, thin, and weak: a puny little guy a puny attempt at humour a puny little guy puny arms► see thesaurus at weak2not effective or impressivepuny effort/attempt a puny attempt at humour Our efforts look puny beside Fred’s.3a puny amount of money is too small: She was awarded a puny £1,000 in compensation.