feeble

English

Etymology

From Middle English feble, from Anglo-Norman feble (“weak, feeble”) (compare French faible), from Latin flēbilis (“tearful, mournful, lamentable”). Doublet of foible.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfiːbəl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːbəl

Adjective

feeble (comparative feebler, superlative feeblest)

1. Deficient in physical strength

   Though she appeared old and feeble, she could still throw a ball.

   • 2011 October 23, Tom Fordyce, “2011 Rugby World Cup final: New Zealand 8-7 France”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     France were transformed from the feeble, divided unit that had squeaked past Wales in the semi-final, their half-backs finding the corners with beautifully judged kicks from hand, the forwards making yards with every drive and a reorganised Kiwi line-out beginning to malfunction.

2. Lacking force, vigor, or efficiency in action or expression; faint.

   That was a feeble excuse for an example.

Synonyms

• (physically weak): weak, infirm, debilitated
• (wanting force, vigor or efficiency): faint

Derived terms

• enfeeble
• feeble-minded
• feebleness
• feebly
• overfeeble

 

Translations

deficient in physical strength

• Arabic:

  Egyptian Arabic: ضعيف (ḍaʕīf)

• Armenian: նվազ (hy) (nvaz), տկար (hy) (tkar)
• Bulgarian: хилав (bg) (hilav), немощен (bg) (nemošten)
• Catalan: feble (ca) m or f, dèbil (ca) m or f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 軟弱／软弱 (zh) (ruǎnruò), 软弱 (zh) (ruǎnruò), 弱 (zh) (ruò)

• Czech: slabý (cs)
• Dutch: zwak (nl)
• Finnish: voimaton (fi), veltto (fi), heikko (fi)
• French: faible (fr)
• Galician: feble
• German: kraftlos (de), schwach (de)

  Ancient: ἀσθενής (asthenḗs), ἀκιδνός (akidnós)

• Italian: debole (it)
• Japanese: 弱い (ja) (よわい, yowai), 弱々しい (よわよわしい, yowayowashii), 虚弱な (ja) (きょじゃくな, kyojaku na), 脆弱な (ja) (ぜいじゃくな, zeijaku na)
• Kurdish:

  Sorani:

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: debilis, imbecillus, infirmus m, invalidus
• Latvian: vājš, niecīgs
• Lithuanian: silpnas (lt), paliegęs
• Maori: tāngenge, kōngongengonge, kōngehe, ngoikore, iwikore, ngohungohu, kārorirori
• Middle English: feble
• Mongolian: сул дорой (sul doroj), дорой (mn) (doroj)
• Norman: failli, fouaibl'ye m or f
• Norwegian: svak (no), blek (no)
• Portuguese: fraco (pt)
• Romanian: plăpând (ro), lânced (ro), slab (ro), debil (ro)
• Russian: сла́бый (ru) (slábyj), хи́лый (ru) (xílyj), не́мощный (ru) (némoščnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: lag
• Slovene: betéžen
• Spanish: débil (es), endeble (es), feble
• Swedish: svag (sv), kraftlös (sv), vek (sv), klen (sv)
• Tagalog: mahina
• Turkish: bitap (tr), dermansız (tr), hâlsiz (tr), güçsüz (tr),
• Westrobothnian:

wanting force, vigor or efficiency in action or expression

• Bulgarian: слаб (bg) (slab)
• Dutch: zwak (nl)
• Finnish: heikko (fi), hatara (fi)
• French: faible (fr)
• Galician: feble
• German: dürftig (de)
• Italian: fiacco (it) m, flebile (it), fievole (it)
• Latvian: vārgs, nespēcīgs
• Lithuanian: menkas
• Maori: wētara (refers to plant growth)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Middle English: feble
• Norwegian: svak (no), blek (no)
• Portuguese: fraco (pt), debilitado (pt)
• Russian: неубеди́тельный (ru) (neubedítelʹnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: lag
• Spanish: endeble (es), deficiente (es), feble
• Swedish: svag (sv), torftig (sv)
• Turkish: dayanıksız (tr), mukavemetsiz (tr) (obsolescent), zayıf (tr)

Verb

1. (obsolete) To make feeble; to enfeeble.

References

• “feeble”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “feeble”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• beflee

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Middle English

Adjective

feeble

1. Alternative form of feble