/ weɪ; NAmE / verb
1.
linking verb to have a particular weight :
[ v ]
How much do you weigh (= how heavy are you) ?
[ v - n ]
She weighs 60 kilos.
These cases weigh a ton (= are very heavy) .
2.
[ vn ] to measure how heavy sb/sth is, usually by using scales :
He weighed himself on the bathroom scales.
She weighed the stone in her hand (= estimated how heavy it was by holding it) .
3.
[ vn ] weigh sth (up) | weigh (up) sth (against sth) to consider sth carefully before making a decision :
You must weigh up the pros and cons (= consider the advantages and disadvantages of sth) .
I weighed the benefits of the plan against the risks involved.
She weighed up all the evidence.
4.
[ v ] weigh (with sb) (against sb/sth) to have an influence on sb's opinion or the result of sth :
His past record weighs heavily against him.
5.
[ vn ] weigh anchor to lift an anchor out of the water and into a boat before sailing away
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IDIOMS
- weigh your words
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PHRASAL VERBS
- weigh sb down
- weigh sb/sth down
- weigh in (at sth)
- weigh in (with sth)
- weigh on sb/sth
- weigh sth out
- weigh sb up
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English wegan , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wegen weigh, German bewegen move, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin vehere convey. Early senses included transport from one place to another and raise up .