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| weight [ wayt ] |
noun (plural weights) |
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| Definition: |
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1. heaviness: the quality of heaviness in things, determined by their mass or quantity of matter as acted on by the force of gravity, that counteracts efforts to lift or move them
 Just feel the weight of it!
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2. amount somebody or something weighs: the heaviness of a particular object or person, especially as measured by a particular system of weight
 She'll have to watch her weight.
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3. system for measuring heaviness: a system of standard measures of weight
 troy weight
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4. unit of weight: a unit used as a measure of weight
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5. weighted counter used on scales: an object of known weight, usually one of a set, placed on one side of a pair of scales to counterbalance another object that is being weighed
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6. heavy object: a heavy object used to hold something down
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7. object used in weightlifting: a heavy object, often a bar with a heavy metal disk at each end, used in weightlifting or for exercise
(
often used in the plural
)
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8. heavy load: a heavy load to carry
 had to put the trunk down since it was too heavy a weight
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9. mental burden: a mental or moral burden or load
 That's a weight off my mind.
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10. importance: importance, or power to influence or persuade
 a motion that did not carry much weight with the judge
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11. greater part: the preponderance or greater part of something
 the weight of exculpatory evidence
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12. printing heaviness of typeface: the heaviness or thickness of a typeface
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13. textiles thickness of cloth: the heaviness or thickness of cloth
(
often used in combination
)
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14. physics force caused by gravity: the vertical force experienced by a mass because of gravity. Symbol W
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transitive verb (past and past participle weight·ed, present participle weight·ing, 3rd person present singular weights) |
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| Definition: |
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1. make something heavier: to add weight or weights to something
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2. keep something in place with weights: to hold something in position by placing a heavy object on it
 weighted the papers down with an ashtray to stop them blowing away
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3. slant something in somebody's favor: to arrange something in such a way that it either favors or disadvantages a specific person or group
(
often passive
)
 The criteria governing the choice of candidate were heavily weighted in her favor.
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4. give additional importance to something: to assign additional importance to something, e.g. a test or part of one
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5. textiles increase density of fabric: to treat fabric so as to increase its density
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6. horseracing assign horse handicap weight: to assign a handicap weight to a horse
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| [ Old English wiht< Indo-European] |
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 weight·er noun |
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be worth its or your weight in gold to be extremely valuable
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pull your weight to do your fair share of work or take your fair share of responsibility
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throw your weight around to be domineering (informal)
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