feeble

English edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English feble, from Anglo-Norman feble (“weak, feeble”) (compare French faible), from Latin flēbilis (“tearful, mournful, lamentable”) by dissimilation, from fleō (“I weep, cry”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₁-. Doublet of foible.

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /ˈfiːbəl/
Audio (US) (file)
Rhymes: -iːbəl

Adjective edit

feeble (comparative feebler, superlative feeblest)

Deficient in physical strength.
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^[1]:
  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.
Lacking force, vigor, or effectiveness in action or expression; faint.
That was a feeble excuse for an example.

Synonyms edit

(physically weak): weak, infirm, debilitated
(wanting force, vigor or efficiency): faint

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

deficient in physical strength

Arabic:
Egyptian Arabic: ضعيف (ḍaʕīf)
Armenian: նվազ (hy) (nvaz), տկար (hy) (tkar)
Azerbaijani: cansız (az)
Bulgarian: хилав (bg) (hilav), немощен (bg) (nemošten)
Catalan: feble (ca), dèbil (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 軟弱／软弱 (zh) (ruǎnruò), 弱 (zh) (ruò)
Czech: slabý (cs), chabý, mdlý (cs)
Dutch: zwak (nl)
Finnish: voimaton (fi), veltto (fi), heikko (fi)
French: faible (fr)
Galician: feble
German: kraftlos (de), schwach (de)
Ancient: ἀσθενής (asthenḗs), ἀκιδνός (akidnós), ἀφαυρός (aphaurós), μῶλυς (môlus)
Hungarian: gyenge (hu), erőtlen (hu)
Ingrian: voimatoin, heikko, hupelo
Italian: debole (it)
Japanese: 弱い (ja) (よわい, yowai), 弱々しい (ja) (よわよわしい, yowayowashii), 虚弱な (ja) (きょじゃくな, kyojaku na), 脆弱な (ja) (ぜいじゃくな, zeijaku na)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: لاواز (lawaz)
Latin: debilis, imbecillus, infirmus, invalidus
Latvian: vājš, niecīgs
Lithuanian: silpnas (lt), paliegęs
Manchu: ᡠᠶᠠᠨ (uyan)
Maori: tāngenge, kōngongengonge, kōngehe, ngoikore, iwikore, ngohungohu, kārorirori
Middle English: feble
Mongolian: сул дорой (sul doroj), дорой (mn) (doroj)
Norman: failli, fouaibl'ye
Norwegian: svak (no), blek (no)
Ottoman Turkish: درمانسز (dermansız)
Persian: ضعیف (fa) (za'if), ناتوان (fa) (nâtavân)
Portuguese: fraco (pt)
Romanian: plăpând (ro), lânced (ro), slab (ro), debil (ro)
Russian: сла́бый (ru) (slábyj), хи́лый (ru) (xílyj), не́мощный (ru) (némoščnyj)
Sanskrit: निर्बल (sa) (nirbala), दुर्बल (sa) (durbala), अशक्त (sa) (aśakta)
Scottish Gaelic: lag
Slovene: betéžen
Spanish: débil (es), endeble (es), feble
Swedish: svag (sv), kraftlös (sv), vek (sv), klen (sv)
Tagalog: mahina
Turkish: bitap (tr), dermansız (tr), hâlsiz (tr), güçsüz (tr),, çelimsiz (tr), arık (tr)

wanting force, vigor or efficiency in action or expression

Bulgarian: слаб (bg) (slab)
Czech: neprůbojný
Dutch: zwak (nl)
Finnish: heikko (fi), hatara (fi)
French: faible (fr)
Galician: feble
German: dürftig (de)
Italian: fiacco (it), flebile (it), fievole (it)
Latvian: vārgs, nespēcīgs
Lithuanian: menkas
Maori: wētara (refers to plant growth), takurutu
Middle English: feble
Norwegian: svak (no), blek (no)
Persian: ضعیف (fa) (za'if)
Portuguese: fraco (pt), debilitado (pt)
Russian: неубеди́тельный (ru) (neubedítelʹnyj)
Scottish Gaelic: lag
Spanish: endeble (es), deficiente (es), feble
Swedish: svag (sv), torftig (sv)
Turkish: dayanıksız (tr), mukavemetsiz (tr) (obsolescent), zayıf (tr), arık (tr), çelimsiz (tr)

Verb edit

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

(obsolete) To make feeble; to enfeeble.

References edit

“feeble”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
“feeble”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams edit

beflee

Middle English edit

Adjective edit

feeble

Alternative form of feble