feeble

CEFRC1

/ˈfiːbəl/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Weak and lacking strength.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Lacking force, vigor, or effectiveness in action or expression; faint.

Examples

  • The feeble patient is suffering from stomach cancer.

  • The old lady has been rather feeble since her illness.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
3
Synonyms
4

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. To make feeble; to enfeeble.

  2. Deficient in physical strength.

More examples

In context

  • That was a feeble excuse for an example.

  • Though she appeared old and feeble, she could still throw a ball.

  • Pent up in Utica he vainly forms A poor Epitome of Roman Greatneſs, And, cover’d with Numidian Guards, directs A feeble Army, and an empty Senate, Remnants of mighty Battels fought in vain.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

After the long illness, the old man's voice sounded blank and exhausted.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

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