▪ I. feeble, a. and n.
(ˈfiːb(ə)l)
Forms: 2–6 feble, (4 febele), 3–5 febul(l(e, 3–6 fieble, (4 fyble, 6 fybull), 4–6 feable, febil(l, -yl(e, 7 feoble, 6– feeble. Compar. 3 feblore; Superl. 4 fyebleste, 6 feobleste.
[a. OF. feble, fieble, foible (mod. faible), later forms of fleible weak:—L. flēbilis that is to be wept over (cf. flebile a.), f. flēre to weep. Cf. Pr. feble, fible, freble, Sp. feble, Pg. febre, It. fievole of same origin and meaning.]
A. adj.
1. Of persons or animals, their limbs or organs: Lacking strength, weak, infirm. Now implying an extreme degree of weakness, and suggesting either pity or contempt. † Const. of, also to with inf.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 47 Þa bi-com his licome swiðe feble. a 1225 Ancr. R. 276 Auh wostu hwat awilegeð monnes feble eien þet is heie iclumben? 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7665 Þe deneis no mete ne founde..& so þe feblore were. c 1305 St. Christopher 216 in E.E.P. (1862) 65 Þu ert wel feble to fiȝte. c 1320 Seuyn Sag. 3450 (W.) He was lene and febil of myght. a 1340 Hampole Psalter xxxvii. 15 As aran þan þe whilk na thynge is febiler. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 311 If the patient be maad feble wiþ medicyns laxativis. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 3607 He was so febill he myght noȝt ga. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour C viij b, And this lady felt herself al wery and feble of the aduysyons. a 1529 Skelton Bouge of Court Prol. 27 His heed maye be harde, but feble his brayne. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon liv. 182 Huon was mounted on his lene feble horse. 1611 Bible Gen. xxx. 42 The feebler were Labans. c 1630 Milton Passion 45 Though grief my feeble hands up lock. 1764 Goldsm. Trav. 147 The feeble heart. 1829 Hood Eugene Aram xiv, A feeble man and old. 1841–4 Emerson Ess., Prudence Wks. (Bohn) I. 100 Bring them hand to hand, and they are feeble folk. |
| absol. a 1225 Ancr. R. 220 Þus ure Louerd spareð a uormest þe ȝunge & þe feble. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. xviii. 92 Rycht oft makis þe febil wycht. 1808 Med. Jrnl. XIX. 424 If acidity be troublesome, as often happens to the feeble and dyspeptic. |
† 2. a. Of things: Having little strength; weak, frail, fragile; slight, slender. Of a fortress, etc.: Having little power of resistance.
Obs.| 1340 Ayenb. 227 Hit is grat wonder þet hi lokeþ zuich ane fieblene castel ase hare fyeble body. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame iii. 42 This were a feble fundament. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 235 Hem semede þat þe legges were to feble for to bere suche an ymage. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 322 The firste boon in a mannes necke is bounden with manye feble ligaturis. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) vii. 80 Before the Chirche of the Sepulcre, is the Cytee more feble than in ony other partie. c 1470 Henry Wallace xi. 1010 Thus semblyt thai about that febill hauld. 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 18 Some houses be feble and very lyke to fall downe. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 163 The Stem, too feeble for the freight. 1776 Withering Brit. Plants (1796) II. 16 Bunches lateral..stem feeble. |
| absol. 1393 Gower Conf. I. 24 The feble meind was with the strong So might it nought wel stonde long. |
b. spec. with reference to a sword. [
ad. F.
faible: see B. 4.]
| 1684 R. H. School Recreat. 57 The feeble, weak or second Part is accounted from the Middle to the Point. 1809 Roland Fencing 35 The fort part of your blade against the feeble part of your adversary's. |
3. Lacking intellectual or moral strength.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 191 He..al te-secheð þat þone þe was er swo fieble. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 341 Wherfore folke is þe feblere and nouȝt ferme of bilieue. a 1400–50 Alexander 1710 He þoȝt him sa feble, He dressis to him in dedeyne..a ball..þe barne with to play. c 1440 York Myst. xxiii. 169 Ȝe ffebill of faithe! folke affraied. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) G b, We sholde not be ignoraunt, feble & weyke in these..thynges. 1639 Duke of Hamilton in H. Papers (Camden) 77, I shall neuer proue false or feeble. 1692 Bentley Serm. 3 Oct. 29 Though we be now miserable and feeble, yet we aspire after eternal happiness. 1828 Carlyle Misc. (1857) I. 105 He was feeble and without volition. a 1859 Macaulay Misc. Writ. (1860) II. 107 Rigid principles often do for feeble minds what stays do for feeble bodies. |
† 4. a. Wanting in resources; ill-supplied, poor. Const.
of.
Obs.| c 1314 Guy Warw. (A.) p. 448 (lxxxiv. 10) A feble lord þou seruest. 1375 Barbour Bruce xvi. 355 Tharfor he thoucht the cuntre was Febill of men. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccccxlviii. 791 The Duke of Aniowe began to wax feble, bothe of men and of money. |
† b. Of a grant of money, a meal: Scanty.
Obs.| 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. 509 The sayd .iii. astatys ordeynyd a more feble money than they before hadde made. 1562 Turner Baths 12 a, Ye may go to a feable diner. c 1590 Greene Fr. Bacon ix. 246, I knew not of the friars feeble fare. |
† 5. a. Of inferior quality, poor, mean. Often said of clothing, food, dwelling, etc.
Obs.| c 1275 Lutel Soth Serm. 41 in O.E. Misc. 188 Boþe heo makeþ feble heore bred and heore ale. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 15/484 Vpon a seli asse he rod: in feble cloþes also. c 1340 Cursor M. 23100 (Trin.) For here is febul abidynge. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 343 Þe merke of þat mone is good ac þe metal is fieble. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 292 And fewe or feble grapes in the same Have growe. c 1470 Henry Wallace vi. 452 The man kest off his febill weid off gray. |
† b. Of a period, event, etc.: Miserable, illstarred, unhappy.
Obs.| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6125 Febleliche he liuede al is lif, & deyde in feble deþe. ? a 1400 Chester Pl. (Shaks. Soc.) I. 224 In feable tyme Christe yode me froo. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1438 Ffele folke forfaren with a ffeble ende. |
† c. In moral sense: Mean, base.
Obs.| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1072 Wicke and feble was here ðoȝt. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xvii. 60 (Add. MS.) To fulfille her wille in feble dede. |
6. Wanting in energy, force, or effect.
a. of natural agents, powers, qualities, or operations.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 745 For-whi þe complection of ilk man Was sythen febler þan it was þan. c 1340 Cursor M. 1996 (Trin.) Now is for synne & pride of man þe erþe feblere þen hit was þan. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 221 Þan I tastide hir pous & it was wondir feble. Ibid. 353 In feble men..þou muste use feble medicyns. 1595 Shakes. John v. iv. 35 The old, feeble, and day-wearied Sunne. 1671 R. Bohun Wind 14 Air alone might seeme able to create but a very feoble and languid Wind. 1700 Dryden Fables, Palamon & Arcite i. 164 Some faint Signs of feeble Life appear. 1719 London & Wise Compl. Gard. v. iii. 99 We may have some feeble Branches on them. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho iv, Her light was yet too feeble to assist them. 1806 Med. Jrnl. XV. 438 A feebler action of the poison. 1847 James Woodman v, He has but feeble health. |
b. of the mind, thoughts, etc.
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. ii. 183 Þat feith with-oute fet ys febelere þan nouht. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xx. 92 My feble witte. 1535 Coverdale 2 Esdras v. 14 My mynde was feble and carefull. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iii. ii. 35 My earthie grosse conceit: Smothred in errors, feeble, shallow, weake. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iii. xxxiv. 214 My feeble Reason. 1836 J. Gilbert Chr. Atonem. ix. (1852) 278 The thought of danger would possess but feeble power to resist temptation. |
c. of actions, feelings, utterances, etc.
| c 1340 Cursor M. 14849 (Fairf.) A feble counsail ȝe do to dragh. 1393 Gower Conf. II. 318 That was a feble dede of armes. c 1400 Destr. Troy 3189 When the lede hade left of his speche, Fele of þe folke febull it thughten. 1580 Baret Alv. F 348 Feeble orations made to the people, without spirit or life. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. vii. 10 A true⁓deuoted Pilgrime is not weary To measure kingdomes with his feeble steps. 1697 Dryden Virg. æneid viii. 621 Feeble are the Succours I can send. 1738 Wesley Psalms ii. iv, Shall all their feeble Threats deride. 1801 Southey Thalaba i. xvii, Grief in Zeinab's soul All other feebler feelings over⁓power'd. 1818 Jas. Mill Brit. India II. iv. v. 166 The brilliancy of the exploit had no feeble attractions for the imagination of Clive. 1840 Thirlwall Greece VII. 281 A feeble attempt was made by two generals. 1862 Ld. Brougham Brit. Const. xii. 164 The feeble conduct which lost Normandy. 1876 Trevelyan Macaulay II. iii. 66 He proceeded to reply with a feeble and partial argument. |
7. Of an effect, phenomenon, etc.: Faintly perceptible, indistinct.
| 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. iii. 30 The effect became more and more feeble, until..it almost wholly disappeared. 1896 Tait Rec. Adv. Phys. Sc. ix. 215 The feeble bands which cross the comparatively dark space between the spectra. |
8. quasi-adv. = feebly.
| 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) I. 202 Every one's experience may convince him how feeble she [reason] acts unless [etc.]. |
9. Comb., parasynthetic, as,
feeble-bodied,
feeble-eyed,
feeble-framed,
feeble-hearted,
feeble-minded (whence
feeble-mindedness),
feeble-winged.
| 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. VII. viii. 180 The viper..is but a slow, *feeble-bodied animal. 1814 Wordsw. Excursion viii. 208 Those gigantic powers..have been compelled To serve the will of feeble-bodied Man. |
| 1600 Fairfax Tasso v. xii. 5 Weake Cupid was too *feeble eide To strike him sure. |
| 1808 Cobbett Pol. Reg. XIV. 193 The law gives him so much power over the poor *feeble-framed creature. |
| 1550 Bale Image Both Ch. i. ii. D iv b, If thou be *feble harted saye, lorde encrease my fayth. 1836 J. H. Newman in Lyra Apost. (1849) 150 Ere it reach Heaven's gate, Blows frustrate o'er the earth thy feeble-hearted prayer. |
| 1534 Tindale 1 Thess. v. 14 Comforte the *feble mynded. 1892 Daily News 1 Mar. 3/3 The desirability of better provision being made for the care of ‘feeble-minded’ women. 1908 Rep. R. Comm. Feeble Minded VIII. 324 in Parl. Pap. (Cd. 4202) XXXIX. 159 ‘Feeble-minded’, i.e., persons who may be capable of earning a living under favourable circumstances, but are incapable from mental defect existing from birth or from an early age: (a) of competing on equal terms with their normal fellows; or (b) of managing themselves and their affairs with ordinary prudence. 1963 Barnard & Lauwery's Handbk. Brit. Educ. Terms 93 Feeble-minded, a term usually applied to those whose I.Q. is between 55 and 69. |
| 1619 W. Sclater Expos. 1 Thess. (1630) 481 The Nature of *feeble-mindednesse. a 1846 E. Irving in Worcester, Feeble-Mindedness. |
| 1634 Ford P. Warbeck i. ii, Your goodness gives large warrants to..My *feeble-wing'd ambition. |
B. n. 1. A feeble person.
(Quots. 1631 and 1826 refer to
K. Hen. IV, iii. ii. 179.)
| 1340 Ayenb. 148 Þe guode man and þe wyse bereþ and uor⁓bereþ alneway þe foles and þe fiebles. [1631 T. Powell Tom All Trades (New Shaks. Soc.) 157 The Taylor, who..had thrust himselfe in amongst the Nobilitie..and was so discovered, and handled..from hand to foot, till the Gaurd delivered him at the great Chamber door, and cryed, ‘farewell, good feeble!’ 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey iv. i, The most forcible of feebles.] 1833 J. S. Mill Let. 10 July (1963) XII. 166 The consequence is they must take the feebles. 1844, 1896 [see forcible feeble]. |
† 2. Weakness, feebleness.
Obs. Only in phrase
for feeble, which may be explained as ellipsis
= ‘For feeble that one is’; the substantival character of the sense is thus doubtful.
| c 1325 Coer de L. 778 That him ne thorst yt not wyte, For febyl his dynt to smyte. c 1400 Destr. Troy 8704 Suche a sorow full sodenly sanke in his hert, þat he fainted for feble. a 1400–50 Alexander 4280 Ne for na febill at we fele. |
3. = foible 1.
| 1678 A. Behn Sir Patient Fancy i. i, You shall find 'em sway'd by some who have the luck to find their feables. 1694 R. L'Estrange Fables ccccxcvi. (ed. 6) 543 Every Man has his Feeble. 1823 Byron Juan xv. xxii, Modesty's my forte, And pride my feeble. |
4. Fencing. The portion of a sword from the middle to the point;
= foible 2.
| 1645 City Alarum 1 Ther's no good fencing without knowledge of the feeble of your Sword. 1776 G. Semple Building in Water 54 Like taking a Sword in the feeble of the Point. 1877 Blackie's Pop. Encycl. III. 325/2 It should always be the care of the swordsman to receive the feeble of the enemy's weapon on the forte of his own. |
▪ II. feeble, v. (
ˈfiːb(ə)l)
Forms: 3
febli-en, (
febly),
fieble, 4–5
febil(l, (5
-yl), 4–6
feble, (5
febel,
febl-yn), 6
feable(n, 6–7, 9
feeble.
[f. the adj.; OF. had foiblir (flebir), and foibloier (feibloier).] 1. intr. To become or grow feeble. Now
arch.| a 1225 Ancr. R. 368 Leste hore licome feblie to swuðe. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7785 King willam..bigan to febli vaste. 1375 Barbour Bruce ii. 384 On thaim! On thaim! thai feble fast! 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) i. viii. 39/1 In token that they ben endlesse & elden not, ne feble not. 1889 ‘Mark Twain’ Connecticut Yankee 181 Sir Gawaine's strength feebled and waxed passing faint. |
† 2. trans. To make feeble; to enfeeble, weaken.
Obs. exc. arch.| a 1340 Hampole Psalter xvii. 40 Þai ere noght febild my steppis. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 408 Þei shulde not feble þes rewmes. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. vi. 175 Thou infirmyst and feblist..the euydencis. 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye 49 Woman what menest thou with thy great wepynge so to feble thy syght. 1546 T. Phaer Bk. Childr. (1553) S v a, When a child neseth out of measure..the brayn and vertues animal be febled. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. viii. 23 And her [a castle's] foundation forst, and feebled quight. 1614 Markham Cheap Husb. ii. xxxix. (1668) 83 A Shrew Mouse..if it only run over a Beast, it feebleth his hinder parts. 1646 E. F[isher] Mod. Divinity i. (1752) 27 His Understanding was both feebled and drowned in darkness. 1831 Mirror XVII. 162/1 Every blow Is feebled with the touch of woe. |
Hence
ˈfeebled ppl. a.;
ˈfeebling vbl. n. and ppl. a.| 1566 Gascoigne & Kinwelmarsh Jocasta v. ii, Then with hir feebled armes, she doth enfolde Their bodies both. 1597 Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 226 My feiblit eyis grew dim. 1621 Fletcher Wild-Goose Chase i. iii, 'Tis true, you're old and feebled. 1633 W. Struther True Happin. 128 It is good that the body finde sometimes this feebling by the vigorous worke of the spirit. 1624 Trag. Nero iii. vi. in Bullen O. Pl. I. 59 Peoples love Could not but by these feebling ills be mov'd. 1632 Lithgow Trav. x. 461 Least by an impatient Minde, and feebling Spirit, I become my owne Murtherer. |