Adjective

(en adjective)

Meekly obedient or passive.

* 1756 , Edmund Burke, The Works of the Right Honorable Edmund Burke , G. Bell & sons, page 314:

The powerful managers for government were not sufficiently submissive to the pleasure of the possessors of immediate and personal favour, sometimes from a confidence in their own strength natural and acquired; sometimes from a fear of offending their friends, and weakening that lead in the country, which gave them a consideration independent of the court.

* 1913 , Edward Lee Thorndike, Educational Psychology , Teachers college, Columbia university, page 92:

If the human being who answers these tendencies assumes a submissive behavior, in essence a lowering of head and shoulders, wavering glance, absence of all preparations for attack, general weakening of muscle tonus, and hesitancy in movement, the movements of attempt at mastery become modified into attempts at the more obvious swagger, strut and glare of triumph.

* 2007 , Brian Watermeyer, Disability and Social Change: A South African Agenda , HSRC Press, page 269:

Once oppression has been internalised, little force is needed to keep us submissive .

Adjective

(er)

Lacking in force (usually strength) or ability.

* Shakespeare

a poor, infirm, weak , and despised old man

* Dryden

weak with hunger, mad with love

Unable to sustain a great weight, pressure, or strain.

a weak''' timber; a '''weak rope

Unable to withstand temptation, urgency, persuasion, etc.; easily impressed, moved, or overcome; accessible; vulnerable.

weak''' resolutions; '''weak virtue

* Joseph Addison, The Fair Petinent Act I, scene I:

Guard thy heart / On this weak side, where most our nature fails.

Dilute, lacking in taste or potency.

*

, title=The Mirror and the Lamp , chapter=2 citation , passage=That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired.}}

(grammar) Displaying a particular kind of inflection, including:

# (Germanic languages, of verbs) Regular in inflection, lacking vowel changes and having a past tense with -d- or -t-.

# (Germanic languages, of nouns) Showing less distinct grammatical endings.

# (Germanic languages, of adjectives) Definite in meaning, often used with a definite article or similar word.

(physics) One of the four fundamental forces associated with nuclear decay.

(slang) Bad or uncool.

(mathematics, logic) Having a narrow range of logical consequences; narrowly applicable. (Often contrasted with a statement which implies it.)

Resulting from, or indicating, lack of judgment, discernment, or firmness; unwise; hence, foolish.

* Milton

If evil thence ensue, / She first his weak indulgence will accuse.

Not having power to convince; not supported by force of reason or truth; unsustained.

The prosecution advanced a weak case.

* Milton

convinced of his weak arguing

Lacking in vigour or expression.

a weak''' sentence; a '''weak style

Not prevalent or effective, or not felt to be prevalent; not potent; feeble.

* Shakespeare

weak prayers

(stock exchange) Tending towards lower prices.

a weak market