weight

¹weight

noun \ˈwāt\

Definition of WEIGHT

1

a : the amount that a thing weighs b (1) : the standard or established amount that a thing should weigh (2) : one of the classes into which contestants in a sports event are divided according to body weight (3) : poundage required to be carried by a horse in a handicap race

2

a : a quantity or thing weighing a fixed and usually specified amount b : a heavy object (as a metal ball) thrown, put, or lifted as an athletic exercise or contest

3

a : a unit of weight or mass — see metric system table b : a piece of material (as metal) of known specified weight for use in weighing articles c : a system of related units of weight

4

a : something heavy : load b : a heavy object to hold or press something down or to counterbalance

5

a : burden, pressure <the weight of their responsibilities> b : the quality or state of being ponderous c : corpulence

6

a : relative heaviness : mass b : the force with which a body is attracted toward the earth or a celestial body by gravitation and which is equal to the product of the mass and the local gravitational acceleration

7

a : the relative importance or authority accorded something <the weight of her opinions> b : measurable influence especially on others <throwing his weight behind the proposal>

8

: overpowering force

9

: the quality (as lightness) that makes a fabric or garment suitable for a particular use or season —often used in combination <summer-weight>

10

: a numerical coefficient assigned to an item to express its relative importance in a frequency distribution

11

: the degree of thickness of the strokes of a type character

weight table

Examples of WEIGHT

1. Please indicate your height and weight on the form.
2. Her weight is 105 pounds.
3. The boat sank under the weight of the cargo.
4. Those columns have to be strong enough to support the weight of the roof.
5. He stays in good shape by lifting weights.
6. I use pie weights to keep the pie crust from bubbling when I bake it.

Origin of WEIGHT

Middle English wight, weght, from Old English wiht; akin to Old Norse vætt weight, Old English wegan to weigh

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to WEIGHT

Synonyms: avoirdupois, heaviness, heft

Antonyms: insignificance, littleness, puniness, slightness, smallness, triviality

Related Words: bulk, mass; poundage, tonnage; deadweight; heftiness, massiveness, ponderousness, weightiness; solidity, solidness, substantiality, substantialness

Near Antonyms: paltriness, pettiness, valuelessness, worthlessness; discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, ignominy, infamy, odium, opprobrium, shame; anonymity; obscurity

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at importance, influence

Other Weights and Measures Terms

avoirdupois weight, calorie, denier, kip, pace, twain

Rhymes with WEIGHT

ait, bait, bate, blate, cate, crate, date, eight, fate, fete, freight, gait, gate, grate, great, haet, hate, late, mate, pate, plait, plate, prate, quoit, rate, sate, skate, slate, spate, state, straight, strait, teth, trait, wait