to determine or ascertain the force that gravitation exerts upon (a person or thing) by use of a balance, scale, or other mechanical device: to weigh oneself; to weigh potatoes; to weigh gases.
to hold up or balance, as in the hand, in order to estimate the weight.
to measure, separate, or apportion (a certain quantity of something) according to weight (usually followed by out): to weigh out five pounds of sugar.
to make heavy; increase the weight or bulk of; weight: We weighed the drapes to make them hang properly.
to evaluate in the mind; consider carefully in order to reach an opinion, decision, or choice: to weigh the facts; to weigh a proposal.
Archaic. to raise, lift, or hoist (something).
Obsolete. to think important; esteem.
verb (used without object)
to have weight or a specified amount of weight: to weigh less; to weigh a ton.
to have importance, moment, or consequence: Your recommendation weighs heavily in his favor.
to bear down as a weight or burden (usually followed by on or upon): Responsibility weighed upon her.
to consider carefully or judicially: to weigh well before deciding.
(of a ship) to raise the anchor and get under way: The ship weighed early and escaped in the fog.
Verb Phrases
weigh down,
to cause to become bowed under a weight: snow and ice weighing down the trees.
to lower the spirits of; burden; depress: This predicament weighs me down.
weigh in,
(of a boxer or wrestler) to be weighed by a medical examiner on the day of a bout.
to be of the weight determined by such a weighing: He weighed in at 170 pounds.
(of a jockey) to be weighed with the saddle and weights after a race.
Informal.to offer an opinion, advice, support, etc., especially in a forceful or authoritative way: The chairman weighed in with an idea for the fundraiser.
weigh out,Horse Racing. (of a jockey)
to be weighed with the saddle and weights before a race.
to be of the weight determined by such a weighing.
Idioms for weigh
weigh anchor, Nautical. to heave up a ship's anchor in preparation for getting under way.
weigh one's words. word (def. 29).
Origin of weigh
1
First recorded before 900; Middle English weghen, Old English wegan “to carry, weigh”; cognate with Dutch wegen, German wägen, Old Norse vega; akin to Latin vehere
A few well respected PPC influencers weighed in on the impact of this change on Twitter.
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Consider that 50cc bikes have claimed weights of around 90–110 pounds, 65cc are around 130 pounds, 85cc tip scales at 165 pounds, 110cc about 159–170, and 125cc machines weigh approximately 196–207 pounds.
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This makes it hard to weigh the benefits versus the risks of using these drugs to treat ARDS.
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This scooter weighs just over 10 pounds and is easily foldable so you can quickly hop off and pack it up whenever you reach your next destination.
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Now it is weighing the removal of two of those three pillars.
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Its purpose is not to try the case, seek both sides of the argument, or weigh the relative merits of each.
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Young male and female fashion models are told how to look, what to eat, and how much they can weigh.
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Nevertheless, the expectation that every African-American star or hip-hop hero must weigh in on Ferguson is a problematic one.
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When it falls unconscious, a ground crew drags the beast—which can weigh up to 5,000 lbs—into a net strapped to the chopper.
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That position could be changing now as the president meets with his security advisors to weigh his options.
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A cubic inch of mercury at this temperature has been ascertained to weigh 0·48967 lbs.
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She stayed to weigh his words in the balance of her own judgment.
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The first question we put to the captain was: “When do you weigh anchor?”
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Well may we pause then and weigh every chance of happiness, ere we take the last and final step in any great or novel measure.
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He unpacked the basket and proceeded to weigh the butter, talking all the time.
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British Dictionary definitions for weigh (1 of 2)
weigh1
/ (weɪ) /
verb
(tr)to measure the weight of
(intr)to have weight or be heavyshe weighs more than her sister
(tr often foll by out) to apportion according to weight
(tr)to consider carefullyto weigh the facts of a case
(intr)to be influentialhis words weighed little with the jury
(intr often foll by on) to be oppressive or burdensome (to)
obsoleteto regard or esteem
weigh anchorto raise a vessel's anchor or (of a vessel) to have its anchor raised preparatory to departure
See also weigh down, weigh in, weigh up
Derived forms of weigh
weighable, adjectiveweigher, noun
Word Origin for weigh
Old English wegan; related to Old Frisian wega, Old Norse vega, Gothic gawigan, German wiegen
British Dictionary definitions for weigh (2 of 2)
weigh2
/ (weɪ) /
noun
under weigh a variant spelling of under way
Word Origin for weigh
C18: variation due to the influence of phrases such as to weigh anchor