I. ˈwā verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English weyen, weghen, from Old English wegan to move, carry, weigh; akin to Old High German wegan to move, carry, weigh, Old Norse vega to move, carry, weigh, Gothic ga wigan to move, shake, Latin vehere to carry — more at way
transitive verb
1. : to examine by a balance : ascertain the heaviness of
weigh myself on a bathroom scales
a thinking brain capable of weighing stars or atoms — L.C.Eiseley
— often used with up
when cotton was picked and weighed up — Lillian Smith
2. obsolete : esteem , regard
3.
a. : outweigh
a clean windscreen … could weigh the balance between life or death on the roads — Priscilla Hughes
— often used with down
b. : counterbalance
better placed than some to weigh the particular criticisms against the general indictment — Barbara Ward
— sometimes used with off
the two commands must be weighed off the one against the other — J.C.Swaim
c. : to make heavy : weight
sewing silk, weighed with fillers to lend luster — A.A.Stonehill
sack of meal slung over his shoulder and weighing him forward — E.L.Thomas
— often used with down
his style is weighed down with localisms — Americas
she weighed down her repertory with these plays — Frances Frenaye
4. : to consider or examine for the purpose of forming an opinion or coming to a conclusion : consider carefully especially by balancing one quality, aspect, or thing against another in order to make a choice, decision, or judgment : evaluate , ponder
in philosophy, the fact, the theory, the alternatives, and the ideal are weighed together — A.N.Whitehead
grand jury is currently weighing indictments — Newsweek
no tedious weighing of pros and cons — Irish Digest
experts are already weighing the significance of the move — Nation
— often used with up
weighing up several propositions — Farmer's Weekly (South Africa)
accustomed to weigh up situations and make decisions quickly — Times Review of Industry
5.
a. : to heave up (an anchor) preparatory to sailing
b. archaic : heave , hoist , raise
6. : to measure or portion out (a definite quantity of a commodity or substance) on or as if on a scales — often used with out or up
weigh out equal portions
7. : to hold or balance in the hand for or as if estimating the weight
weighed a stone, then threw it
8. : to determine the force in pounds that will draw (a bow) the length of the appropriate arrow
9. : to determine the pressure required to pull (the trigger of a firearm)
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to have weight : be heavy : have a specified weight
he weighs 200 pounds
a sirloin steak weighing six pounds — Jane Nickerson
b. : to register a weight (as on a scales) — used with in or out and at
a largemouth bass that weighed in at better than fourteen pounds — Horace Sutton
the hog weighed out at 225 pounds after butchering
— compare weigh in , weigh out
2. : to be considered as important : have weight in the intellectual balance : carry weight : count , militate , tell
such recommendations will weigh in the candidate's favor
those pieces of evidence will weigh heavily against him
for the purposes of an editor of poetry stylistic evidence is evidence that must weigh — Times Literary Supplement
arguments which … would be likely to weigh with other conscientious parents — Bertrand Russell
3.
a. : to press down with or as if with a heavy weight
have one's gun weighing on one's arm — T.H.White b. 1906
extension of his erudition (which never weighs ) to other literatures — A.T.MacAllister
taxes weigh heavily on the incentive to save — A.E.Buck
b. : to be a source of doubt, indecision, worry, or regret : have a saddening or disheartening effect
shook their heads sadly … as though the recollection of the interview weighed heavily — R.H.Davis
— usually used with on or upon
the responsibility for her decision weighed on her — Laura Krey
their insecurity weighs upon them and causes much bitterness — L.S.B.Leakey
4. : to weigh anchor
the fleet weighed and proceeded to the anchorage — S.E.Morison
5.
a. : to weigh in
finished third in a 2500-meter hurdle race … and went in to weigh — Ernest Hemingway
b. : to weigh out
the jockeys weighed before the race
Synonyms: see burden , consider , depress
•
- weigh anchor
- weigh one's words
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English weye, weighe, from Old English wǣge weight, wey; akin to Old High German wāga weight, scale, Old Norse vāg weight, scale, Old English wegan to move, carry, weigh
1. dialect England : wey
2. : weighing
cheating the miners on the weigh — James Higgins
recommendations as to weighs, qualities, and grades — Journal of Home Economics
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: alteration of way
: way — used in the phrase under weigh as a variant of under way
the ship's captain … immediately got under weigh — Deneys Reitz
studies under weigh will show … the meaning of different scores — Science
the political reaction which was already visibly under weigh — George Orwell