meek

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Adjective 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Translations 1.4 Verb

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Middle English meek, meke, from Old Norsemjúkr (“‘soft’”) ( > Danish myg (“‘supple’”)).

[edit] Pronunciation

• General American IPA/SAMPA /mik/

  Rhymes: -iːk

[edit] Adjective

meek (comparative meeker, superlative meekest)

1. Humble, modest, meager, or self-effacing.
   • 1848: Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son

     Mrs. Wickam was a meek woman...who was always ready to pity herself, or to be pitied, or to pity anybody else...

   • "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5)
2. Submissive, despirited, or of broken will.
   • 1920: Sinclair Lewis, Main Street [1]

     What if they were wolves instead of lambs? They'd eat her all the sooner if she was meek to them. Fight or be eaten.

[edit] Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:humble

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to meek (third-person singular simple present meeks, present participle meeking, simple past and past participle meeked)

1. (US) (of horses) To verb; to break.