Frailty Meaning
/ˈfɹeɪlti/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe condition quality of being frail, physically, mentally, or morally; weakness of resolution; liability to be deceived.
nounA fault proceeding from weakness; foible; sin of infirmity.
Sentence Examples
Frailty, thy name is woman!
His physical frailty made it hard to walk far.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ of the old bridge caused it to collapse during the storm.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Despite his physical ____, the elderly man possessed a remarkable mental sharpness and a wonderful sense of humor.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English frelete, frailte, from Old French fraileté, from Latin fragilitās. By surface analysis, frail + -ty. Doublet of fragility.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"the limitations and restraints of civil government, and a legal constitution, may be defended, either from reason, which reflecting on the great frailty and corruption of human nature, teaches, that no man can safely be trusted with unlimited authority ;"
— 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral., London: Oxford University Press, published 1973, § 36, n. 1:
"For all their frailty at the back, Arsenal possessed genuine menace in attack and they carved through Chelsea with ease to restore parity nine minutes before half-time. Aaron Ramsey's pass was perfection and Gervinho took the unselfish option to set up Van Persie for a tap-in."
— 2011 October 29, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 3 - 5 Arsenal”, in BBC Sport:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ of the old bridge caused it to collapse during the storm.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Despite his physical ____, the elderly man possessed a remarkable mental sharpness and a wonderful sense of humor.