I. ˈfānt adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English faint, feint (also, deceitful, feigned), from Old French, from past participle of faindre, feindre to feign, shirk — more at feign
1. : lacking courage and spirit : cowardly , spiritless — now usually used in the phrase faint heart
2. : feeble, dizzy, and likely to faint through or as if through hunger, illness, pain, shock, or emotion
he felt suddenly faint … he had eaten nothing — Pearl Buck
sick and faint from the pain — Jack London
faint with her happiness — Ethel Wilson
3.
a. : having an appearance of underlying weakness : lacking vigor or strength
fair young man, with a long, pale nose, a faint chin — Booth Tarkington
b. : performed, acted, or accomplished in a weak, feeble, or hesitant manner : marked by halfhearted forcelessness
believed the assertion at once, but he made a faint effort to resist conviction — G.B.Shaw
damning with faint praise
4. : likely to make one faint : oppressive
the faint atmosphere of a tropical port
5.
a. : making only a feeble impression on the senses : hardly perceptible : indistinct , blurred , dim
he tied his shoelaces in hard knots because he couldn't see in the faint light — Erskine Caldwell
a faint hissing sound became audible — H.G.Wells
b. : not making or accompanied by a clear mental impression : obscure
these faint lights of intuition — G.W.Russell
a faint clue to the origin of these mystery people — R.W.Murray
had not the faintest idea what was meant
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English faint, feint, from faint, feint, adjective
: the act or condition of fainting : swoon
the classic signs of the ordinary faint — marked facial pallor and moist cold skin — Today's Health
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English fainten, feinten, from faint, feint, adjective
intransitive verb
1. archaic : to lose heart : become discouraged or afraid : give away : flag
2. archaic : to grow weak or feeble : decline
but his strength dwindled and fainted
3. : to suffer syncope : swoon
4.
a. : to lose brilliance, color, or intensity
the aroma soon faints
b. : to lose distinctness and clarity
transitive verb
archaic : to make faint : depress , enfeeble
it faints me to think what follows — Shakespeare
IV. adverb
Etymology: faint (I)
: faintly
V.
variant of feint