/ ˈhevi; NAmE / adjective , noun , adverb
■ adjective
( heav·ier , heavi·est )
WEIGHING A LOT
1.
weighing a lot; difficult to lift or move :
She was struggling with a heavy suitcase.
My brother is much heavier than me.
He tried to push the heavy door open.
How heavy is it (= how much does it weigh) ?
( especially NAmE )
Many young people today are too heavy (= fat) .
( figurative )
Her father carried a heavy burden of responsibility.
OPP light
WORSE THAN USUAL
2.
more or worse than usual in amount, degree, etc. :
the noise of heavy traffic
heavy frost / rain / snow
the effects of heavy drinking
There was heavy fighting in the capital last night.
The penalty for speeding can be a heavy fine .
She spoke with heavy irony .
OPP light
NOT DELICATE
3.
( of sb/sth's appearance or structure ) large and solid; not delicate :
big, dark rooms full of heavy furniture
He was tall and strong, with heavy features.
MATERIAL
4.
( of the material or substance that sth is made of ) thick :
heavy curtains
a heavy coat
OPP light
FULL OF STH
5.
heavy with sth ( literary ) full of or loaded with sth :
trees heavy with apples
The air was heavy with the scent of flowers.
His voice was heavy with sarcasm.
MACHINES
6.
[ usually before noun ] ( of machines, vehicles or weapons ) large and powerful :
a wide range of engines and heavy machinery
heavy lorries / trucks
BUSY
7.
[ usually before noun ] involving a lot of work or activity; very busy :
a heavy schedule
She'd had a heavy day.
WORK
8.
hard, especially because it requires a lot of physical strength :
heavy digging / lifting
FALL / HIT
9.
falling or hitting sth with a lot of force :
a heavy fall / blow
MEAL / FOOD
10.
large in amount or very solid :
a heavy lunch / dinner
a heavy cake
OPP light
USING A LOT
11.
heavy on sth ( informal ) using a lot of sth :
Older cars are heavy on gas.
Don't go so heavy on the garlic.
DRINKER / SMOKER / SLEEPER
12.
[ only before noun ] ( of a person ) doing the thing mentioned more, or more deeply, than usual :
a heavy drinker / smoker
a heavy sleeper
SOUND
13.
( of a sound that sb makes ) loud and deep :
heavy breathing / snoring
a heavy groan / sigh
SERIOUS / DIFFICULT
14.
(usually disapproving ) ( of a book, programme, style, etc. ) serious; difficult to understand or enjoy :
We found the play very heavy.
The discussion got a little heavy.
SEA / OCEAN
15.
dangerous because of big waves, etc. :
strong winds and heavy seas
AIR / WEATHER
16.
hot and lacking fresh air, in a way that is unpleasant :
It's very heavy—I think there'll be a storm.
SOIL
17.
wet, sticky and difficult to dig or to move over
STRICT
18.
( of a person ) very strict and severe :
Don't be so heavy on her—it wasn't her fault.
► heavi·ness noun [ U ]
•
IDIOMS
- get heavy
- heavy going
- heavy hand
- a heavy heart
- the heavy mob / brigade
- a heavy silence / atmosphere
- make heavy weather of sth
—more at cross noun , toll noun
■ noun ( pl. -ies )
1.
[ C ] ( informal ) a large strong man whose job is to protect a person or place, often using violence
2.
[ U ] ( ScotE ) strong beer, especially bitter :
a pint of heavy
■ adverb
•
IDIOMS
- hang / lie heavy
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English hefig , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hevig , also to heave .