Hypertext Webster Gateway: "weaken"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Weaken \Weak"en\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Weakened}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Weakening}.]
1. To make weak; to lessen the strength of; to deprive of
strength; to debilitate; to enfeeble; to enervate; as, to
weaken the body or the mind; to weaken the hands of a
magistrate; to weaken the force of an objection or an
argument.
Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it
be not done. --Neh. vi. 9.
2. To reduce in quality, strength, or spirit; as, to weaken
tea; to weaken any solution or decoction.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Weaken \Weak"en\, v. i.
To become weak or weaker; to lose strength, spirit, or
determination; to become less positive or resolute; as, the
patient weakened; the witness weakened on cross-examination.
``His notion weakens, his discernings are lethargied.''
--Shak.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
weaken
v 1: lessen the strength of; "The fever weakened his body" [ant:
{strengthen}]
2: become weaker; "The prisoner's resistance weakened after
seven days" [ant: {strengthen}]
3: destroy property or hinder normal operations; "The
Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war"
[syn: {sabotage}, {undermine}, {countermine}, {counteract},
{subvert}]
4: reduce the level or intensity of; "de-escalate a crisis"
[syn: {de-escalate}, {step down}] [ant: {escalate}]
5: lessen in force or effect; "soften a shock"; "break a fall"
[syn: {dampen}, {damp}, {soften}, {break}]
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