Hypertext Webster Gateway: "faint"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Faint \Faint\ (f[=a]nt), a. [Compar. {Fainter} (-[~e]r); superl.
{Faintest}.] [OE. feint, faint, false, faint, F. feint, p. p.
of feindre to feign, suppose, hesitate. See {Feign}, and cf.
{Feint}.]
1. Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to swoon; as,
faint with fatigue, hunger, or thirst.

2. Wanting in courage, spirit, or energy; timorous; cowardly;
dejected; depressed; as, ``Faint heart ne'er won fair
lady.'' --Old Proverb.

3. Lacking distinctness; hardly perceptible; striking the
senses feebly; not bright, or loud, or sharp, or forcible;
weak; as, a faint color, or sound.

4. Performed, done, or acted, in a weak or feeble manner; not
exhibiting vigor, strength, or energy; slight; as, faint
efforts; faint resistance.

The faint prosecution of the war. --Sir J.
Davies.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Faint \Faint\, v. t.
To cause to faint or become dispirited; to depress; to
weaken. [Obs.]

It faints me to think what follows. --Shak.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Faint \Faint\, n.
The act of fainting, or the state of one who has fainted; a
swoon. [R.] See {Fainting}, n.

The saint, Who propped the Virgin in her faint. --Sir
W. Scott.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Faint \Faint\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Fainted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Fainting}.]
1. To become weak or wanting in vigor; to grow feeble; to
lose strength and color, and the control of the bodily or
mental functions; to swoon; -- sometimes with away. See
{Fainting}, n.

Hearing the honor intended her, she fainted away.
--Guardian.

If I send them away fasting . . . they will faint by
the way. --Mark viii.
8.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

faint
adj 1: barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or
loudness etc; "a faint outline"; "the wan sun cast
faint shadows"; "the faint light of a distant candle";
"faint colors"; "a faint hissing sound"; "a faint
aroma"
2: lacking clarity or distinctness; "a dim figure in the
distance"; "only a faint recollection"; "shadowy figures
in the gloom"; "saw a vague outline of a building through
the fog"; "a few wispy memories of childhood" [syn: {dim},
{shadowy}, {vague}, {wispy}]
3: lacking strength or vigor; "damning with faint praise";
"faint resistance"; "feeble efforts"; "a feeble voice"
[syn: {feeble}]
4: weak and likely to lose consciousness; "suddenly felt faint
from the pain"; "was sick and faint from hunger"; "felt
light in the head"; "a swooning fit"; "light-headed with
wine"; "light-headed from lack of sleep" [syn: {light}, {swooning},
{light-headed}, {lightheaded}]
5: indistinctly understood or felt or perceived; "a faint clue
to the origin of the mystery"; "haven't the faintest idea"
6: lacking conviction or boldness or courage; "faint heart
ne'er won fair lady" [syn: {fainthearted}, {timid}]
n : a spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient
blood to the brain [syn: {swoon}, {syncope}]
v : pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due
to a loss of blood supply to the brain [syn: {conk}, {swoon},
{pass out}]


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