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frail

 - 4 dictionary results
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frail

1  [freyl] adjective, -er, est.
Use frail in a Sentence
1. having delicate health; not robust; weak: My grandfather is rather frail now.
2. easily broken or destroyed; fragile.
3. morally weak; easily tempted.
–noun
4. Older Slang: Sometimes Offensive. a girl or woman.
Origin:
1300–50; ME frail(e), frel(e) < OF < L fragilis fragile

Related forms:
frailly, adverb
frailness, noun

Synonyms:
1, 2. feeble; breakable, frangible. Frail, brittle, fragile imply a delicacy or weakness of substance or construction. Frail applies particularly to health and immaterial things: a frail constitution; frail hopes. Brittle implies a hard material that snaps or breaks to pieces easily: brittle as glass. Fragile implies that the object must be handled carefully to avoid breakage or damage: fragile bric-a-brac.

Antonyms:
1, 2. sturdy.
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frail

2  [freyl]
–noun
1. a flexible basket made of rushes, used esp. for dried fruits, as dates, figs, or raisins.
2. a certain quantity of raisins, about 75 lb. (34 kg), contained in such a basket.
Origin:
1300–50; ME frayel, fraelle < OF frayel < ?
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To frail
frail 1   (frāl)   
adj.   frail·er, frail·est

  1. Physically weak; delicate: an invalid's frail body.

  2. Not strong or substantial; slight: evidence too frail to stand up in court.

  3. Easily broken or destroyed; fragile.

  4. Easily led astray; morally weak. See Synonyms at weak.


[Middle English frele, from Old French, from Latin fragilis, from frangere, frag-, to break; see bhreg- in Indo-European roots.]
frail'ly adv., frail'ness n.
frail 2   (frāl)   
n.  

  1. A rush basket for holding fruit, especially dried fruit.

  2. The quantity of fruit, such as raisins or figs, that such a basket can hold.


[Middle English fraiel, from Old French.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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