Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Feeble

Fee′ble

(fē′b’l)
,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Feebler
(-blẽr)
;
sup
erl.
Feeblest
(-blĕst)
.]
[OE.
feble
, OF.
feble
,
flebe
,
floibe
,
floible
,
foible
, F.
faible
, L.
flebilis
to be wept over, lamentable, wretched, fr.
flere
to weep. Cf.
Foible
.]
1.
Deficient in physical strength; weak; infirm; debilitated.
Carried all the
feeble
of them upon asses.
2 Chron. xxviii. 15.
2.
Wanting force, vigor, or efficiency in action or expression; not full, loud, bright, strong, rapid, etc.; faint;
as, a
feeble
color;
feeble
motion.
“A lady’s feeble voice.”
Shak.

Fee′ble

,
Verb.
T.
To make feble; to enfeeble.
[Obs.]
Shall that victorious hand be
feebled
here?
Shakespeare
Fee′ble-mind′ed-ness
,
Noun.

Webster 1828 Edition


Feeble

FEE'BLE

,
Adj.
[I know not the origin of the first syllable.]
1.
Weak; destitute of much physical strength; as, infants are feeble at their birth.
2.
Infirm; sickly; debilitated by disease.
3.
Debilitated by age or decline of life.
4.
Not full or loud; as a feeble voice or sound.
5.
Wanting force or vigor; as feeble efforts.
6.
Not bright or strong; faint; imperfect; as feeble light; feeble colors.
7.
Not strong or vigorous; as feeble powers of mind.
8.
Not vehement or rapid; slow; as feeble motion.

FEE'BLE

,
Verb.
T.
To weaken. [Not used. See Enfeeble.]

Definition 2024


feeble

feeble

English

Adjective

feeble (comparative feebler, superlative feeblest)

  1. Deficient in physical strength; weak; infirm; debilitated.
    Though she appeared old and feeble, she could still throw a ball.
    • 2011 October 23, Tom Fordyce, “2011 Rugby World Cup final: New Zealand 8-7 France”, in BBC Sport:
      France were transformed from the feeble, divided unit that had squeaked past Wales in the semi-final, their half-backs finding the corners with beautifully judged kicks from hand, the forwards making yards with every drive and a reorganised Kiwi line-out beginning to malfunction.
  2. Lacking force, vigor, or efficiency in action or expression; faint.
    That was a feeble excuse for an example.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

feeble (third-person singular simple present feebles, present participle feebling, simple past and past participle feebled)

  1. (obsolete) To make feeble; to enfeeble.

References

  • feeble in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • feeble in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911