Weak vs Weal - What's the difference?
weak | weal |
Lacking in force (usually strength) or ability.
* Shakespeare
* Dryden
Unable to sustain a great weight, pressure, or strain.
Unable to withstand temptation, urgency, persuasion, etc.; easily impressed, moved, or overcome; accessible; vulnerable.
* Joseph Addison, The Fair Petinent Act I, scene I:
Dilute, lacking in taste or potency.
*
, title=The Mirror and the Lamp
, chapter=2 (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
Not having power to convince; not supported by force of reason or truth; unsustained.
* Milton
Lacking in vigour or expression.
Not prevalent or effective, or not felt to be prevalent; not potent; feeble.
* Shakespeare
(stock exchange) Tending towards lower prices.
(obsolete) Wealth, riches.
* Francis Bacon
* Milton
Specifically, the general happiness of a community, country etc. (often with qualifying word).
* Macaulay
* {{quote-book
, year=1960
, author=
, title=(Jeeves in the Offing)
, section=chapter IV
, passage=The austerity of my tone seemed to touch a nerve and kindle the fire that always slept in this vermilion-headed menace to the common weal [...].}}
* 2002 , , The Great Nation , Penguin 2003, p. 372:
a raised, longitudinal wound, usually purple, on the surface of flesh caused by stroke of rod or whip; a welt.
As an adjective weak
is lacking in force (usually strength) or ability.As a noun weal is
(obsolete) wealth, riches or weal can be a raised, longitudinal wound, usually purple, on the surface of flesh caused by stroke of rod or whip; a welt.As a verb weal is
to mark with stripes; to wale.weak
English
Adjective
(er)- a poor, infirm, weak , and despised old man
- weak with hunger, mad with love
- a weak''' timber; a '''weak rope
- weak''' resolutions; '''weak virtue
- Guard thy heart / On this weak side, where most our nature fails.
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.}}
- If evil thence ensue, / She first his weak indulgence will accuse.
- The prosecution advanced a weak case.
- convinced of his weak arguing
- a weak''' sentence; a '''weak style
- weak prayers
- a weak market
Synonyms
* (lacking in force or ability) feeble, frail, powerless, vincible, assailable ,vulnerable * (lacking in taste or potency) dilute, watery * See alsoAntonyms
* (lacking in force or ability) healthy, powerful, robust, strong, invincible * (lacking in taste or potency) potent, robust, strongDerived terms
* weaken * weakling * weakness * weak sisterAnagrams
* 1000 English basic words ----weal
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) .Noun
(en noun)- as we love the weal of our souls and bodies
- to him linked in weal or woe
- Never was there a time when it more concerned the public weal that the character of the Parliament should stand high.
- Louis could aim to restyle himself the first among citizens, viewing virtuous attachment to the public weal as his most important kingly duty.