\Weak\, a.
1. (Stock Exchange) Tending toward a lower price or lower
   prices; as, wheat is weak; a weak market.
2. (Card Playing) Lacking in good cards; deficient as to
   number or strength; as, a hand weak in trumps.
3. (Photog.) Lacking contrast; as, a weak negative.

\Weak\ (w[=e]k), a. [Compar. {Weaker} (-[~e]r); superl.
{Weakest}.] [OE. weik, Icel. veikr; akin to Sw. vek, Dan. veg
soft, flexible, pliant, AS. w[=a]c weak, soft, pliant, D.
week, G. weich, OHG. weih; all from the verb seen in Icel.
v[=i]kja to turn, veer, recede, AS. w[=i]can to yield, give
way, G. weichen, OHG. w[=i]hhan, akin to Skr. vij, and
probably to E. week, L. vicis a change, turn, Gr. e'i`kein to
yield, give way. [root]132. Cf. {Week}, {Wink}, v. i.
{Vicissitude}.]
1. Wanting physical strength. Specifically:
   (a) Deficient in strength of body; feeble; infirm; sickly;
       debilitated; enfeebled; exhausted.
             A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man.
                                               --Shak.
             Weak with hunger, mad with love.  --Dryden.
   (b) Not able to sustain a great weight, pressure, or
       strain; as, a weak timber; a weak rope.
   (c) Not firmly united or adhesive; easily broken or
       separated into pieces; not compact; as, a weak ship.
   (d) Not stiff; pliant; frail; soft; as, the weak stalk of
       a plant.
   (e) Not able to resist external force or onset; easily
       subdued or overcome; as, a weak barrier; as, a weak
       fortress.
   (f) Lacking force of utterance or sound; not sonorous;
       low; small; feeble; faint.
             A voice not soft, weak, piping, and womanish.
                                               --Ascham.
   (g) Not thoroughly or abundantly impregnated with the
       usual or required ingredients, or with stimulating and
       nourishing substances; of less than the usual
       strength; as, weak tea, broth, or liquor; a weak
       decoction or solution; a weak dose of medicine.
   (h) Lacking ability for an appropriate function or office;
       as, weak eyes; a weak stomach; a weak magistrate; a
       weak regiment, or army.
2. Not possessing or manifesting intellectual, logical,
   moral, or political strength, vigor, etc. Specifically:
   (a) Feeble of mind; wanting discernment; lacking vigor;
       spiritless; as, a weak king or magistrate.
             To think every thing disputable is a proof of a
             weak mind and captious temper.    --Beattie.
             Origen was never weak enough to imagine that
             there were two Gods.              --Waterland.
   (b) Resulting from, or indicating, lack of judgment,
       discernment, or firmness; unwise; hence, foolish.
             If evil thence ensue, She first his weak
             indulgence will accuse.           --Milton.
   (c) Not having full confidence or conviction; not decided
       or confirmed; vacillating; wavering.
             Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but
             not to doubtful disputations.     --Rom. xiv. 1.
   (d) Not able to withstand temptation, urgency, persuasion,
       etc.; easily impressed, moved, or overcome;
       accessible; vulnerable; as, weak resolutions; weak
       virtue.
             Guard thy heart On this weak side, where most
             our nature fails.                 --Addison.
   (e) Wanting in power to influence or bind; as, weak ties;
       a weak sense of honor of duty.
   (f) Not having power to convince; not supported by force
       of reason or truth; unsustained; as, a weak argument
       or case. ``Convinced of his weak arguing.'' --Milton.
             A case so weak . . . hath much persisted in.
                                               --Hooker.
   (g) Wanting in point or vigor of expression; as, a weak
       sentence; a weak style.
   (h) Not prevalent or effective, or not felt to be
       prevalent; not potent; feeble. ``Weak prayers.''
       --Shak.
   (i) Lacking in elements of political strength; not
       wielding or having authority or energy; deficient in
       the resources that are essential to a ruler or nation;
       as, a weak monarch; a weak government or state.
             I must make fair weather yet awhile, Till Henry
             be more weak, and I more strong.  --Shak.
   (k) (Stock Exchange) Tending towards lower prices; as, a
       weak market.
3. (Gram.)
   (a) Pertaining to, or designating, a verb which forms its
       preterit (imperfect) and past participle by adding to
       the present the suffix -ed, -d, or the variant form
       -t; as in the verbs abash, abashed; abate, abated;
       deny, denied; feel, felt. See {Strong}, 19
   (a) .
   (b) Pertaining to, or designating, a noun in Anglo-Saxon,
       etc., the stem of which ends in -n. See {Strong}, 19
   (b) .
Note: Weak is often used in the formation of self-explaining
      compounds; as, weak-eyed, weak-handed, weak-hearted,
      weak-minded, weak-spirited, and the like.
{Weak conjugation} (Gram.), the conjugation of weak verbs; --
   called also {new, or regular, conjugation}, and
   distinguished from the old, or irregular, conjugation.
{Weak declension} (Anglo-Saxon Gram.), the declension of weak
   nouns; also, one of the declensions of adjectives.
{Weak side}, the side or aspect of a person's character or
   disposition by which he is most easily affected or
   influenced; weakness; infirmity.
{Weak sore} or {ulcer} (Med.), a sore covered with pale,
   flabby, sluggish granulations.

\Weak\, v. t. & i. [Cf. AS. w?can. w[=a]cian. See {Weak},
a.]
To make or become weak; to weaken. [R.]
      Never to seek weaking variety.           --Marston.