frail 1
— frailly , adv. — frailness , n.
/frayl/ , adj., frailer, est .
1. having delicate health; not robust; weak: My grandfather is rather frail now.
2. easily broken or destroyed; fragile.
3. morally weak; easily tempted.
n.
4. Older Slang ( sometimes offensive ). a girl or woman.
[ 1300-50; ME frail ( e ), frel ( e ) fragilis FRAGILE ]
Syn. 1, 2. feeble; breakable, frangible. FRAIL, BRITTLE, FRAGILE imply a delicacy or weakness of substance or construction. FRAIL applies particularly to health and immaterial things: a frail constitution; frail hopes. BRITTLE implies a hard material that snaps or breaks to pieces easily: brittle as glass. FRAGILE implies that the object must be handled carefully to avoid breakage or damage: fragile bric-a-brac.
Ant. 1, 2. sturdy.
frail 2
/frayl/ , n.
1. a flexible basket made of rushes, used esp. for dried fruits, as dates, figs, or raisins.
2. a certain quantity of raisins, about 75 lb. (34 kg), contained in such a basket.
[ 1300-50; ME frayel, fraelle frayel ]