WEAK1 physically weak2 not powerful3 easy to attack or harm4 to make someone or something weak5 to become weak6 when a plant becomes weakRELATED WORDSoppositeSTRONGnot brave 不勇敢的BRAVE/NOT BRAVEnot good at making decisions quickly and firmly 不善于迅速和果断地作出决定的DECIDEweak taste 淡味的TASTE (8)see alsoBREAK1 physically weak 体格虚弱的weak /wiːk/ [adjective]someone who isweak is not strong enough to lift heavy things or do a lot of physical work, especially because they are ill 〔尤因生病而〕身体虚弱的，不够强壮的 When you have flu, you feel tired and weak for a long time. 感冒的时候，很长一段时间都觉得疲倦和虚弱。 The child was too weak to undergo a transplant operation. 这孩子身体太虚弱，无法进行移植手术。 I can't go running - I've got a weak heart. 我不可以去跑步—我的心脏不太好。weak from/with The soldiers were weak from hunger and exhaustion. 士兵因为饥饿和疲劳变得虚弱。 She felt weak with emotion at the sight of him. 看到他，她激动得瘫软下来。weakness [uncountable noun] In spite of his physical weakness Harry kept himself as busy and active as possible. 尽管身体虚弱，哈里仍尽量让自己活得充实积极。frail /freɪl/ [adjective]someone who isfrail is thin and weak, especially because they are old 〔尤因年老〕瘦弱的 a frail 85-year-old lady 一位瘦弱的85岁老太太 She sat up a little straighter, raising her frail body in the bed. 她在床上撑起虚弱的身体，稍稍坐直些。frailty [uncountable noun] We hadn't seen her for many years and were shocked by her frailty. 我们有许多年没见到她了，她那么瘦弱，让我们感到惊愕。feeble /ˈfiːbəl/ [adjective]not physically strong because of being very young, old, ill etc, 虚弱的；衰弱的；无力的〔因年纪小、年老、生病等〕 My grandmother's very feeble now and needs someone at home full-time to look after her. 我祖母现在身体非常衰弱，需要有人全天在家照顾她。 He did not remember his sister at all, except as a tiny, feeble baby. 在他的印象中妹妹只是个弱小的婴儿，除此之外他什么也记不起了。feebly [adverb] I watched him as he tried, very slowly and feebly, to get out of bed. 我看着他试图从床上起来，行动非常缓慢，身体虚弱无力。fragile /ˈfrædʒaɪlǁ-dʒəl/ [adjective]someone who isfragile is so weak and delicate that they look as if they could easily be hurt 虚弱的，弱不禁风的 The baby felt so fragile in his arms. 他怀中的婴儿给他的感觉是那么纤弱。 Two ambulance attendants picked up his fragile body and put him carefully onto a stretcher. 两名救护员抬起他虚弱的身体，小心翼翼地把他放在担架上。shaky /ˈʃeɪki/ [adjective]feeling weak in your legs and only able to walk slowly and unsteadily 〔双腿〕摇摇晃晃的，颤巍巍的 Even after the long months of therapy Owen was still very shaky. 即使经过好几个月的治疗，欧文走路仍是摇摇晃晃的。be shaky on your feet Her grandfather was a little shaky on his feet after the fall. 她祖父摔了一跤后，走起路来有点不稳。shaky steps The baby's taken her first few shaky steps. 这个婴孩已经摇摇晃晃的会走几步路了。shakily [adverb] As I entered the room, he reached for his stick and got shakily to his feet. 我走进房间时，他伸手去拿拐杖，然后摇摇晃晃地站起来。puny /ˈpjuːni/ [adjective]especially writtena man or boy who ispuny is small, thin, and looks very weak 【尤书面】〔男子或男孩〕瘦小虚弱的 Pete was a puny little boy with short hair and glasses. 皮特是个瘦小虚弱的小男孩，短头发、戴眼镜。 His wife was such a big strong woman, she made him look puny. 他的妻子那么高大壮实，令他看起来瘦小虚弱。weedy /ˈwiːdi/ [adjective]British informala man or boy who isweedy is thin and looks weak 【英，非正式】〔男子或男孩〕瘦弱的，单薄的 Mouse got his nickname because he was small and weedy. 因为他瘦弱矮小，所以得了“老鼠”这个外号。weakling /ˈwiːklɪŋ/ [countable noun]someone, especially a boy or young man, who is weak and is not willing to fight or defend himself 软弱的人，懦弱者〔尤指男孩或年轻男子〕 Most of the kids were weaklings and were frightened of getting in a fight. 大部分孩子都很懦弱，害怕与人打架。weed /wiːd/ [countable noun]British informalsomeone, especially a boy or young man, who is thin and weak - sometimes used humorously 【英，非正式】瘦弱的〔尤指男孩或年轻男子，有时作幽默用语〕 Everyone called me a weed when I was at school because I was so bad at sports. 我在学校时大家说我弱不禁风，因为我体育很差。2 not powerful 没有力量的weak /wiːk/ [adjective]aweak leader, manager, or government does not have clear ideas about what should be done, and is too easily influenced by other people. Aweak country does not have the power to defend itself 〔领导人、经理或政府〕软弱无力的；〔国家〕没有防卫能力的 He came across as a weak and indecisive leader. 他给人的印象是一个软弱无力、优柔寡断的领导者。 Weak management led to failure of the business. 管理不力导致公司倒闭。 In 1949-50 China was a weak, vulnerable country, devastated by war. 该国是个脆弱无力的国家，饱受战争的摧残。weakness [uncountable noun] The President has often been accused of weakness. 总统常常被指责为软弱无能。3 easy to attack or harm 易受攻击或伤害的vulnerable /ˈvʌlnərəbəl/ [adjective]someone who isvulnerable can easily be harmed or attacked 脆弱的，易受伤害的，易受攻击的 a small vulnerable child in need of protection 需要保护的易受伤害的小孩 Wild animals are at their most vulnerable when they are asleep. 野生动物睡觉的时候最易受到攻击。vulnerable to The virus leaves sufferers vulnerable to a range of infections. 这种病毒使病人容易遭受各种感染。defencelessBritish/defenselessAmerican /dɪˈfensləs/ [adjective]not strong enough or not able to protect yourself against an attack 不能自卫的 No one is doing anything to help these poor defenceless children. 对于这些可怜的没有自卫能力的孩子，没有人给予任何帮助。 While the mother bird searches for food she has to leave her chicks alone and defenseless in the nest. 鸟妈妈出去找食物时，不得不让小鸟单独无助地留在巢里。defenceless against He closed the door behind him, leaving her cruelly defenceless against his bitter attack. 他关上门，任由她对他的毒打毫无反抗能力，十分残酷。4 to make someone or something weak 使某人或某物变弱weaken /ˈwiːkən/ [transitive verb] Her long illness has weakened her so much that she has difficulty walking. 她因长期患病导致身体非常虚弱，连走路都有困难。 The city's defences had been weakened by enemy shelling. 敌人的炮轰削弱了这座城市的防御力量。sap somebody's strength/energy /ˌsæp somebodyˈs ˈstreŋθ, ˈenəʳdʒi/ [verb phrase]if something such as too much work or worrysaps your strength orenergy, it gradually takes away your energy and makes you weaker 逐渐削弱〔消耗〕某人的力量 They were travelling very slowly, and the heavy load they were carrying sapped their strength. 他们一路走得非常慢，而且携带的东西太重，消耗了他们的气力。 The constant tension was sapping my energy. 持续的紧张气氛正消耗着我的精力。debilitating /dɪˈbɪlɪteɪtɪŋ, dɪˈbɪləteɪtɪŋ/ [adjective]writtenadebilitating disease or condition makes you physically or mentally weak 【书面】〔疾病或状况〕使〔身心〕衰弱的 He was still suffering the debilitating effects of flu. 流感还在削弱他的体力。 The conditions under which doctors work are increasingly unhealthy and debilitating. 医生的工作环境越来越不利于健康，使人衰弱。5 to become weak 变弱weaken /ˈwiːkən/ [intransitive verb]if someone's power, strength, or determinationweakens, it becomes weaker 〔某人的权力、体力或决心〕削弱，减弱 By 1945, the country's power was weakening considerably. 到了1945年，该国国力大大减弱。 The soldiers’ morale was beginning to weaken. 士兵的士气开始低落。crumble /ˈkrʌmbəl/ [intransitive verb]if your determination, courage etccrumbles, it becomes weak or fails 〔决心、勇气等〕减弱；崩溃 Briggs’ resolve crumbled and he reached for the whisky bottle. 布里格斯的决心动摇了，伸手去拿威士忌酒瓶。6 when a plant becomes weak 植物渐渐枯萎wilt /wɪlt/ [intransitive verb]if a plant or flowerwilts, it becomes weak and loses its colour, freshness etc, especially because of heat or lack of water 〔尤指植物或花因炎热或缺水而〕枯萎，凋谢 Marigolds are a strong breed, less likely to wilt than other plants. 金盏花生命力强，不像其他植物那样容易枯萎。 The plant in the corner was wilting, its brilliant yellow petals scattered on the floor. 角落里那株花正在枯萎，金黄色的花瓣散落在地上。droop /druːp/ [intransitive verb]if a plant or flowerdroops, it starts to hang down, especially because it is not getting enough water, and begins to die 〔尤指植物或花因水分不足而〕下垂；萎蔫 These flowers are beginning to droop. You'd better water them. 这些花开始蔫了，你最好给它们浇水。 He watered the vines so little that the leaves drooped and the tendrils withered. 他很少给葡萄藤浇水，叶子都蔫了，卷须也枯萎了。