weaken, v.
(ˈwiːk(ə)n)
Also 6 wayken, weyken, Sc. waken. pa. tense and pple. 4 waykned, 6–8 weakned, 7 Sc. waikned.
[f. weak a. + -en5.
In the following early instance the word may be a direct adoption from Scand.; cf. Norw. dial. veikna, MSw. and Sw. vekna, to become weak.
13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1422 So faste þay weȝed to him wyne, hit..breyþed vppe in to his brayn & blemyst his mynde, & al waykned his wyt, & wel neȝe he foles.]
I. trans. To make weak or weaker.
† 1. To soften. a. To steep (salt meat) in water, so as to remove the salt (cf. woke v.). b. To dissolve in acid. Obs.
| 1530 Palsgr. 770/1, I wayken salte meates, I lay them in water. Je attrempe en leaue. 1540 ― Acolastus ii. i. H iv b, Clodius Esopus his sonne dyd at a banket eate a perle, weakened in stronge vyneyger. |
2. To lessen the physical strength or vigour of (an animal or plant, its parts or organs); to lessen the functional vigour of (an organ or an organic power).
| 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 707 At the laste battayle the very strengthe of his chiefe souldiours was weakened. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. 149 b, Swyne... Afore they goe to pasture, they must be medicined, least the grasse skarre [sic] them to much, by which they wylbe greatly weakened. 1588 Greene Pandosto (1607) G 1 b, Who gazeth at the Sunne, weakeneth his sight. 1643 Baker Chron., Hen. II (1653) 87 So strong a Corrosive is grief of mind, when it meetes with a body weakened before with sicknesse. 1764 Museum Rust. IV. 30 Such running to seed will weaken the plants much more than several cuttings. 1810 Crabbe Borough xxii. 331 Through the water came A hollow groan, that weaken'd all my frame. 1831–3 E. Burton Eccles. Hist. xii. (1845) 282 The venerable Apostle was so weakened by age, that his disciples were obliged to carry him to the religious meetings. 1845 Budd Dis. Liver 130 Such measures..weaken the patient, at a time when his assimilating powers can scarcely maintain his actual condition. 1864 Tennyson En. Ard. 821 A languor came Upon him, gentle sickness, gradually Weakening the man, till he could do no more, But kept the house, his chair, and last his bed. |
b. In Bible phrase, to weaken the hands of: fig. to reduce the effectiveness of (a person or body of persons), to hinder, discourage. Cf. strengthen v. 2 b.
| 1560 Bible (Geneva) Jer. xxxviii. 4, Neh. vi. 9. 1864 Pusey Lect. Daniel (1876) 135 The people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah. |
3. To enfeeble or decrease the vigour of (the mind, etc.).
| 1536 Primer Eng. & Lat., Dirige (Rouen) 133 My spyryte god wotte is wekenyd wonders sore. 1683 Burnet tr. More's Utopia 88 Unless Age has weakned his Understanding. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1768) VI. 217 When peoples minds are weakened by a sense of their own infirmities. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xii, His consciousness came back; but the mind was weakened and its functions were impaired. |
4. To lessen (authority, influence, power, credit), † to lower the value of (something); † to impoverish (an estate).
| 1530 Palsgr. 770/1 Their power is waykenned: leur pouuoyr est affoyblié or infermé. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 155 There can no greater plage inuade a commen wealth, than what time thauthoritie of lawes is weakened and disolued. 1612 Two Noble K. v. iv, A Steed..a black one, owing Not a hayr worth of white, which some will say Weakens his price. 1618–20 Essex Archd. Bk. Depositions (MS.) 21 b, He..nowe found his estate much weakned and impaired sithence the makinge of the said will. 1639 Du Verger tr. Camus' Admir. Events 6 Her Father Venon..had much weakned his estate in drawing his deare friend out of prison. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 1002 Weakning the Scepter of old Night. 1673 Temple Observ. United Prov. viii. 251 Because the loss of every small Outwork does not only weaken the Number, but sink the Courage of the Garrison within. 1706 E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 7 Such a Prostitution of his Presence, he thinks, weakens his Authority. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1766) II. 71 While the witnesses were weakening their own credit. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1768) VIII. 215 Which must weaken the influences of their good works. 1776 Adam Smith W.N. iii. ii. I. 467 That the power, and consequently the security of the monarchy, may not be weakened by division, it must descend entire to one of the children. 1847 G. Harris Ld. Chanc. Hardwicke I. iii. 245 The witness may also be made to weaken his own credit, by the account which he admits of himself, or of his character. 1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ Valerie's Fate iii, The slight difference of age between herself and those she taught somewhat weakened her authority. |
5. To reduce the strength of (a body of men) in numbers or fighting power; to render (a position) less secure.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 129 b, What tyme the one parte was thus weakened, the Anabaptistes doe chouse newe senatours, all of their owne faction. 1600 Hakluyt Voy. III. 228 Considering how in number we were diminished, and in strength greatly weakned, both by reason of our sicknesse and also of the number that were dead. 1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 111 Imagining that Tyrone..would not have..any minde to..hinder his retreate when he should have weakened his forces by that Plantation [of a garrison]. 1698 J. Collier Immor. Stage i. 5 Such Licentious Discourse tends..to weaken the Defences of Virtue. 1760 Cautions & Advices to Officers of Army 171 If you should be sent on a Party, observe this Precaution yourself; but let them not be too strong, lest you weaken your main Body. 1860 Löwenthal Morphy's Games Chess 114 This move, however, weakens the K. B's P., which immediately becomes the focus of Black's attack. 1875 Gossip Chess-player's Man. 846 Black would gain a move, but weaken his position. |
6. To render weaker in resources, authority, political or military power, or the like.
| 1568 Bible (Bishops') Isa. xiv. 12 O Lucifer..Howe hast thou gotten a fall euen to the grounde, which didst weaken the nations? 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxxvi. §6 As long as their amitie with God continued,..nothing could weaken them but Apostasie. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xvii. (1904) 116 So now do Cities and Kingdomes..endeavour as much as they can, to subdue, or weaken their neighbours. 1673 Temple Observ. United Prov. i. 17 Both Philip and his Son..found themselves a Match for France, then much weakned, as well by the late wars of England, as the Factions of their Princes. 1713 Addison Cato ii. iii, Let us not weaken still the weaker side, By our divisions. 1727 De Foe Engl. Tradesm. (1732) I. vi. 67 As they [sc. those adventures] very rarely add to his credit, so if they lessen the man's stock, they weaken him in the main, and he must at last faint under it. 1853 Newman Hist. Sk. (1873) II. i. vi. 137 They took every means to weaken and annoy the very men whom they had invited. 1864 Bryce Holy Rom. Emp. viii. (1875) 129 He [Otto] is commonly said to have wished to weaken the aristocracy by raising up rivals to them in the hierarchy. 1887 Field 3 Dec. 862/1 The Old Harrovians were now greatly weakened by the enforced retirement of Rendall. 1915 J. W. Headlam Hist. Twelve Days iii. 83 Serbia would certainly have been humbled and weakened. |
7. To render less efficacious.
| 1639 J. Saltmarsh Policy 301 Perseverance preserves and advances that grace which relapses weaken and loose. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 309 ¶16 An ordinary Poet would indeed have spun out so many Circumstances to a great Length, and by that means have weakned, instead of illustrated, the principal Fable. 1823 Scott Quentin D. xxxiii, I..swore..upon another fragment of the true cross which I got from the Grand Seignior, weakened in virtue, doubtless, by sojourning with infidels. 1877 Tennyson Harold v. i, Let not my strong prayer Be weaken'd in thy sight. |
b. To lessen or destroy the strength of (an argument, a case, etc.); to render (a probability) less likely.
| 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. i. iii. 195 Aiax..sets Thersites A slaue,..To match vs in comparisons with durt, To weaken and discredit our exposure. 1644 J. Maxwell Sacro-sancta Reg. Maj. 46 This weakeneth no wayes our argument. 1796 H. Hunter tr. St.-Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) I. 166 This concession no more weakens the probability of the hydraulic cause, which I apply to it, than that of the principle of the attraction of the heavenly bodies, which [etc.]. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xx. IV. 527 They well knew that an inquiry could not strengthen their case, and might weaken it. 1886 J. B. Mayor Engl. Metre 76 This would very much weaken, if not entirely destroy, the evidence in favour of such feet. |
c. To render (faith, resolve, conviction) weaker.
| 1848 Mrs. Gaskell Mary Barton xii, Don't let my being an unbelieving Thomas weaken your faith. |
8. To render (a material thing) less strong or more liable to fracture.
| 1827 Faraday Chem. Manip. ix. (1842) 242 A hole..will appear before the filter is finished; or if not, it will be so weakened as to be unable to bear a quantity of fluid without breaking. 1857 Dempsey Archit. Pract. 51 Closers must never be allowed except in the quoins; where they necessarily must occur, in order not to weaken the work by cutting those bricks which show on both faces. 1910 J. Bartlett in Encycl. Brit. V. 387/1 The timbers are held together with a spike. In this way they are not weakened. 1914 M. Barrett Footpr. Anc. Scot. Ch. i. 36 This weakened the central tower, which fell with a crash in 1688. |
9. To reduce the intensity of (a colour, sound, fire).
| 1683 Salmon Doron Med. ii. 378 Then weaken the fire, and draw off a strong cinnamon water. 1733 School of Miniature 34 In working thereon with Green, it constantly weakens the Red which had first been laid on. 1791 W. Hamilton Berthollet's Dyeing II. 143 This weakens the colour of the madder. 1805 Nicholson's Jrnl. Nat. Philos. (80) XI. 129 Both sounds grew weaker in proportion as I retired from the striking point; but that transmitted by the stone was weakened much more rapidly than that transmitted through the air. 1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 531 The oxygen..acts upon the colouring particles; it combines with them, and weakens their colour. 1876 Tait Rec. Adv. Phys. Sci. ix. 220 The atmosphere might merely have weakened the various kinds of sunlight. |
b. Phonetics. To reduce in force of utterance.
| 1863 Benfey Sansk. Gram. §187. 153 Many verbs{ddd}are weakened..by rejecting final or penultimate nasals. 1869 J. Peile Grk. & Lat. Etymol. 124 As for example when α in Greek is weakened to ι. 1874 A. J. Ellis E.E. Pronunc. iv. 1282 In the first case the vowel is strengthened, in the latter weakened. 1877 Sweet Primer Phonetics §273 (1902) 95 There is a distinct tendency to weaken the stress of the last syllable of a syllable-group. 1888 ― Hist. Engl. Sounds 186 In drawen the w was probably soon weakened into an u. 1908 ― Sounds of English 51 The falling diphthongs weaken their second elements, so that they are no longer full i, u. |
10. Card-games. To lessen the strength of (one's hand, etc.).
| 1742 Hoyle Whist (1746) 25 Whereas if you had trumped one of your Adversaries best Cards, you had so weakened your Hand, as probably not to make more than five Tricks without your Partner's Help. 1862 ‘Cavendish’ Whist (1864) 47 You weaken a suit by discarding from it, and lessen the number of long cards you might otherwise establish. |
11. To render (market prices, a market) less firm.
| 1875 Economist 2 Jan. 20/1 Stocks being quite small, the increased receipts do not have much effect as yet in weakening prices. 1883 Manch. Exam. 26 Nov. 4/2 Advices from Manchester have tended to weaken the cotton market. |
II. intr.
12. To grow or become weak or weaker.
| 1541 R. Copland Guydon's Quest. Chirurg. O j, It shuld be daunger of to moche resolucyon and that the strength shuld weyken. 1594 R. Ashley tr. Loys le Roy 81 b, By transporting the principal forces, and riches, from Rome to Bizantium, diuiding of the Empire into the East and West; they weakned much. 1605 Shakes. Lear i. iv. 248 His Notion weakens. 1607 Rowlands Guy Warw. 32 The Emperor..with new forces gave a new assault, Knowing the City could not be relieved, And then their strength would weaken by default. 1733 School of Miniature 34 With the same Mixture form all the Shades, adding White as they weaken. 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. etc. II. 202 While o'er the meadow's little fluttering rill The twittering sunbeam weakens cool and dim. 1855 Browning Old Pictures in Florence vi, Wherever an outline weakens and wanes. 1876 J. Ellis Caesar in Egypt 151 The body weakens, but the soul is strong. 1884 Howells in Harper's Mag. Dec. 123/2 These hydraulic elevators weaken sometimes, and can't go any further. 1886 Hardy Mayor Casterbr. I. xviii. 224 Mrs. Henchard was weakening visibly [in health]. 1920 Times Lit. Suppl. 23 Sept. 621/4 The plot weakens a little towards the end. |
b. (orig. U.S.) To take a less firm attitude, to recede from a standpoint, to give way.
| 1876 ‘Mark Twain’ Tom Sawyer xxvii, Don't you ever weaken, Huck, and I won't. 1882 B. Harte Flip ii, ‘Go 'long. Dad, you're talking silly!’ The old man weakened. 1890 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 13 Sept. 73 A man whom he took for an accomplice weakened when the first child was to be taken and exposed the scheme. 1899 Westm. Gaz. 2 Dec. 2/2 The Church will indeed suffer an immense loss of moral prestige if she now weakens on this subject. |
Hence ˈweakened ppl. a.
| 1548 Elyot's Dict., Attenuatus,..appayred, weakened, diminished. 1577 Grange Golden Aphrod. G iv b, The fountayne Granus giueth strength vnto the weakened bone. 1594 Selimus 157 My sonnes..May take occasion of my weakned age, And rise in rebell armes against my state. 1694 Atterbury Serm., Isa. lx. 22 (1726) I. 130 When a Warlike and Savage Race of Men..set upon a dissolute, divided, and weakned Enemy. 1797 Jane Austen Sense & Sens. xxix, An aching head, a weakened stomach, and a general nervous faintness. 1869 J. Peile Grk. & Lat. Etymol. 159 The French u is a similar example of weakened articulation. 1870 Jevons Elem. Logic xvi. 140 They are said to have a weakened conclusion because the conclusion is particular. 1874 A. J. Ellis E.E. Pronunc. iv. 1284 In point of fact this (ə) is a ‘weakened’ (u) reduced to (o). 1893 Liddon Life Pusey I. xiii. 305 The proposed change, in Pusey's eyes, involves at least a weakened recognition of that duty [of propagating religious truth]. |