weigh

[ wey ]

/ weɪ /

verb (used with object)

to determine or ascertain the force that gravitation exerts upon (a person or thing) by use of a balance, scale, or other mechanical device: to weigh oneself; to weigh potatoes; to weigh gases.

to hold up or balance, as in the hand, in order to estimate the weight.

to measure, separate, or apportion (a certain quantity of something) according to weight (usually followed by out): to weigh out five pounds of sugar.

to make heavy; increase the weight or bulk of; weight: We weighed the drapes to make them hang properly.

to evaluate in the mind; consider carefully in order to reach an opinion, decision, or choice: to weigh the facts; to weigh a proposal.

Archaic. to raise, lift, or hoist (something).

Obsolete. to think important; esteem.

verb (used without object)

to have weight or a specified amount of weight: to weigh less; to weigh a ton.

to have importance, moment, or consequence: Your recommendation weighs heavily in his favor.

to bear down as a weight or burden (usually followed by on or upon): Responsibility weighed upon her.

to consider carefully or judicially: to weigh well before deciding.

(of a ship) to raise the anchor and get under way: The ship weighed early and escaped in the fog.

Verb Phrases

weigh down,

to cause to become bowed under a weight: snow and ice weighing down the trees.
to lower the spirits of; burden; depress: This predicament weighs me down.

weigh in,

(of a boxer or wrestler) to be weighed by a medical examiner on the day of a bout.
to be of the weight determined by such a weighing: He weighed in at 170 pounds.
(of a jockey) to be weighed with the saddle and weights after a race.
Informal. to offer an opinion, advice, support, etc., especially in a forceful or authoritative way: The chairman weighed in with an idea for the fundraiser.

weigh out, Horse Racing. (of a jockey)

to be weighed with the saddle and weights before a race.
to be of the weight determined by such a weighing.

Idioms for weigh

weigh anchor, Nautical. to heave up a ship's anchor in preparation for getting under way.

weigh one's words. word(def 29).

Origin of weigh

before 900; Middle English weghen, Old English wegan to carry, weigh; cognate with Dutch wegen, German wägen, Old Norse vega; akin to Latin vehere

SYNONYMS FOR weigh

5 ponder, contemplate. See study.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR weigh ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM weigh

weigh·a·ble, adjective weigh·er, noun un·weigh·a·ble, adjective un·weigh·ing, adjective

well-weighed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH weigh

way weigh weight

Words nearby weigh

weidman, weierstrass, weierstrass approximation theorem, weifang, weigela, weigh, weigh down, weigh in, weigh on, weigh one's words, weigh up

Example sentences from the Web for weighing

Millions of Scots are weighing up their own internal head vs. heart battles.

Freeeeedom! Hollywood Fights for Scottish Independence |Nico Hines |September 15, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Barrels of wine, weighing 900 pounds each, are still toppled on one another.

Cleaning Up From Napa's Winepocalypse |Jordan Salcito |August 30, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Weighing in on issues that have been decided for decades is the equivalent of saying nothing at all.

‘Jersey Boys’ Proves Clint Eastwood is Hollywood’s Most Overrated Director |Andrew Romano |June 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
And the wealth indicated by rising stock markets is weighing down the pockets of the far-less-than-one percent.

At Davos 2014, The Gods Of Mischief Rule |Christopher Dickey |January 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Similarly, there are many able GOP governors who must be weighing a potential bid.

Jack Kemp 2016: The Case for Paul Ryan |Ron Christie |December 13, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Stop one minute, Hugh, and help me break off the biggest icicles that are weighing down these branches until they will snap.

Poppea of the Post-Office |Mabel Osgood Wright
You were noticing nothing as usual, but I was weighing every word.

Crime and Punishment |Fyodor Dostoevsky
I spoke very shortly, weighing my words, for I felt I was on trial before these bright eyes. '

Prester John |John Buchan
It consists in weighing a glass vessel empty, filled with the liquid, filled with the standard substance.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 2 |Various
Conflicting religions may then force a moral attitude in weighing their claims.

Ethics |John Dewey and James Hayden Tufts

British Dictionary definitions for weighing (1 of 2)

weigh ¹

/ (weɪ) /

verb

(tr) to measure the weight of

(intr) to have weight or be heavy she weighs more than her sister

(tr often foll by out) to apportion according to weight

(tr) to consider carefully to weigh the facts of a case

(intr) to be influential his words weighed little with the jury

(intr often foll by on) to be oppressive or burdensome (to)

obsolete to regard or esteem

weigh anchor to raise a vessel's anchor or (of a vessel) to have its anchor raised preparatory to departure

Derived forms of weigh

weighable, adjective weigher, noun

Word Origin for weigh

Old English wegan; related to Old Frisian wega, Old Norse vega, Gothic gawigan, German wiegen

British Dictionary definitions for weighing (2 of 2)

weigh ²

/ (weɪ) /

noun

under weigh a variant spelling of under way

Word Origin for weigh

C18: variation due to the influence of phrases such as to weigh anchor

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

weigh

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Verb Phrases

Idioms for weigh

Origin of weigh

SYNONYMS FOR weigh

OTHER WORDS FROM weigh

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH weigh

Words nearby weigh

Example sentences from the Web for weighing

British Dictionary definitions for weighing (1 of 2)

verb

Derived forms of weigh

Word Origin for weigh

British Dictionary definitions for weighing (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for weigh

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

weigh

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Verb Phrases

Idioms for weigh

Origin of weigh

SYNONYMS FOR weigh

OTHER WORDS FROM weigh

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH weigh

Words nearby weigh

Words related to weighing

Example sentences from the Web for weighing

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for weighing (1 of 2)

verb

Derived forms of weigh

Word Origin for weigh

British Dictionary definitions for weighing (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for weigh

British Dictionary definitions for weighing (1 of 2)