| 释义 |
faint
I. \ˈfānt\ adjective
(-er/-est)
Etymology: Middle English faint, feint (also, deceitful, feigned), from Old French, from past participle of faindre, feindre to feign, shirk — more at feign
1. : lacking courage and spirit : cowardly, spiritless — now usually used in the phrase faint heart
2. : feeble, dizzy, and likely to faint through or as if through hunger, illness, pain, shock, or emotion
< he felt suddenly faint … he had eaten nothing — Pearl Buck >
< sick and faint from the pain — Jack London >
< faint with her happiness — Ethel Wilson >
3.
a. : having an appearance of underlying weakness : lacking vigor or strength
< fair young man, with a long, pale nose, a faint chin — Booth Tarkington >
b. : performed, acted, or accomplished in a weak, feeble, or hesitant manner : marked by halfhearted forcelessness
< believed the assertion at once, but he made a faint effort to resist conviction — G.B.Shaw >
< damning with faint praise >
4. : likely to make one faint : oppressive
< the faint atmosphere of a tropical port >
5.
a. : making only a feeble impression on the senses : hardly perceptible : indistinct, blurred, dim
< he tied his shoelaces in hard knots because he couldn't see in the faint light — Erskine Caldwell >
< a faint hissing sound became audible — H.G.Wells >
b. : not making or accompanied by a clear mental impression : obscure
< these faint lights of intuition — G.W.Russell >
< a faint clue to the origin of these mystery people — R.W.Murray >
< had not the faintest idea what was meant >
II. noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English faint, feint, from faint, feint, adjective
: the act or condition of fainting : swoon
< the classic signs of the ordinary faint — marked facial pallor and moist cold skin — Today's Health >
III. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English fainten, feinten, from faint, feint, adjective
intransitive verb
1. archaic : to lose heart : become discouraged or afraid : give away : flag
2. archaic : to grow weak or feeble : decline
< but his strength dwindled and fainted >
3. : to suffer syncope : swoon
4.
a. : to lose brilliance, color, or intensity
< the aroma soon faints >
b. : to lose distinctness and clarity
transitive verb
archaic : to make faint : depress, enfeeble
< it faints me to think what follows — Shakespeare >
IV. adverb
Etymology: faint (I)
: faintly
V.
variant of feint |