faint
Use Faint in a sentence
adjective
1.
lacking brightness, vividness, clearness, loudness, strength, etc.: a faint light; a faint color; a faint sound.
2.
feeble or slight: faint resistance; faint praise; a faint resemblance.
3.
feeling weak, dizzy, or exhausted; about to lose consciousness: faint with hunger.
4.
lacking courage; cowardly; timorous: Faint heart never won fair maid.
5.
Law. unfounded: a faint action.
verb (used without object)
6.
to lose consciousness temporarily.
7.
to lose brightness.
8.
Archaic. to grow weak; lose spirit or courage.
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Faint
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is kibitz. Does it mean:
| to spend time idly; loaf. |
| chat, to converse |
noun
9.
a temporary loss of consciousness resulting from a decreased flow of blood to the brain; a swoon: to fall into a faint.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French, past participle of faindre, variant of feindre to feign
1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French, past participle of faindre, variant of feindre to feign
Related forms
faint·er, noun
faint·ing·ly, adverb
faint·ish, adjective
faint·ish·ness, noun
faint·ly, adverb
faint·ness, noun
o·ver·faint, adjective
o·ver·faint·ly, adverb
o·ver·faint·ness, noun
un·faint·ing, adjective
un·faint·ly, adverb
Synonyms
1. indistinct, ill-defined, dim, faded, dull, 2. faltering, irresolute, weak. 3. languid. 4. pusillanimous, fearful, timid, dastardly. 6. pass out, black out.
1. indistinct, ill-defined, dim, faded, dull, 2. faltering, irresolute, weak. 3. languid. 4. pusillanimous, fearful, timid, dastardly. 6. pass out, black out.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To faint
Collins
World English Dictionary
faint (feɪnt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | lacking clarity, brightness, volume, etc: a faint noise |
| 2. | lacking conviction or force; weak: faint praise |
| 3. | feeling dizzy or weak as if about to lose consciousness |
| 4. | without boldness or courage; timid (esp in the combination faint-hearted) |
| 5. | not the faintest, not the faintest idea, not the faintest notion no idea whatsoever: I haven't the faintest |
| —vb | |
| 6. | to lose consciousness, esp momentarily, as through weakness |
| 7. | archaic, poetic or to fail or become weak, esp in hope or courage |
| —n | |
| 8. | Technical name: syncope a sudden spontaneous loss of consciousness, usually momentary, caused by an insufficient supply of blood to the brain |
| [C13: from Old French, from faindre to be idle] | |
| 'fainter | |
| —n | |
| 'faintingly | |
| —adv | |
| 'faintish | |
| —adj | |
| 'faintishness | |
| —n | |
| 'faintly | |
| —adv | |
| 'faintness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
faint
c.1300, "wanting in courage," now mostly in faint-hearted (mid-15c.), from O.Fr. faint "soft, weak, sluggish," pp. of faindre "avoid one's duty by pretending" (see feign). Sense of "weak, feeble" is early 14c. Meaning "producing a feeble impression upon the senses" is from
1650s. The verb originally meant "to lose heart" (mid-14c.); sense of "swoon" is c.1400. Related: Fainted; fainting.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
faint (fānt)
n.
An abrupt, usually brief loss of consciousness; an attack of syncope. adj.
Extremely weak; threatened with syncope.
faint v.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Nearby Words
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