weight

noun, verb — 32 senses

weight

noun

/weɪt/

Etymology From Middle English weight, weiȝte, weght, wight, from Old English wiht, ġewiht (“weight”), from Proto-Germanic *wihtiz ("weight"; compare *weganą (“to move”)), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (“to move; pull; draw; drive”). Equivalent to weigh + -t (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Scots wecht, weicht (“weight”), Saterland Frisian Wächte (“scale”), Gewicht (“weight”), West Frisian gewicht (“weight”), Dutch gewicht (“weight”), German Low German Wicht, Gewicht (“weight”), German Wucht (“massiveness, force”), Gewicht (“weight”).

25 senses
  1. 1The downwards force an object experiences due to gravity.
  2. 2An object used to make something heavier.
  3. 3A standardized block of metal used in a balance to…
  4. 4Importance or influence.
  5. 5An object, such as a weight plate or barbell, used for…
  6. 6Ellipsis of free weight, as contrasted with the weights…
  7. 7Viscosity rating.
  8. 8Mass (atomic weight, molecular weight, etc.) (in…
  9. 9Synonym of mass (in general circumstances).
  10. 10Mass (net weight, troy weight, carat weight, etc.).
  11. 11A variable which multiplies a value for ease of…
  12. 12Emphasis applied to a given criterion.
  13. 13The smallest cardinality of a base.
  14. 14The boldness of a font; the relative thickness of its strokes.
  15. 15The relative thickness of a drawn rule or painted…
  16. 16The illusion of mass.
  17. 17The thickness and opacity of paint.
  18. 18The thickness of yarn.
  19. 19Pressure; burden.
  20. 20The resistance against which a machine acts, as opposed…
  21. 21Shipments of (often illegal) drugs.
  22. 22One pound of drugs, especially cannabis.
  23. 23Money.
  24. 24Weight class.
  25. 25Used as part of compound words for weight class titles…
1

The downwards force an object experiences due to gravity.

2

An object used to make something heavier.

3

A standardized block of metal used in a balance to measure the mass of another object.

4

Figuratively Importance or influence.

  • I liked the man for his own sake, and even had he promised to turn out a celebrity it would have had no weight with me. I look upon notoriety with the same indifference as on the buttons on a man's shirt-front, or the crest on his note-paper.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
  • Another knight came to settle on the island, a man of much weight and position, on whom the Adelantados of all the island relied, and who was made a magistrate.1907 Alonso de Espinosa, Hakluyt Society & Sir Clements Robert Markham, The Guanches of Tenerife: the holy image of Our Lady of Candelaria, and the Spanish conquest and settlement, Printed for the Hakluyt Society, p116
1 more example
  • "You surely are a man of some weight around here," I said.1945, Mikia Pezas, The price of liberty, I. Washburn, Inc., page 11:
5

Exercise, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports, Weightlifting An object, such as a weight plate or barbell, used for strength training.

  • He's working out with weights. Weight-bearing exercise is now understood to be just as important as cardio.
6

Exercise, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports, Weightlifting Abbreviation, Ellipsis, Sometimes, Specifically Ellipsis of free weight, as contrasted with the weights inside an exercise machine.

  • I prefer weights over machines.
7

Engineering, Lubricants, Mechanical engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Viscosity rating.

8

Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics Mass (atomic weight, molecular weight, etc.) (in restricted circumstances).

9

Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics Proscribed Synonym of mass (in general circumstances).

10

Mass (net weight, troy weight, carat weight, etc.).

  • I'm the same weight as I was ten years ago.

› Ellipsis of weight function.

11

Mathematical analysis, Mathematics, Measure theory, Sciences, Statistics A variable which multiplies a value for ease of statistical manipulation.

12

Mathematical analysis, Mathematics, Measure theory, Sciences Especially, In computing Emphasis applied to a given criterion.

Machine learning

  • Even though it's got its two features of color and hardness, it doesn't know how much importance or, as computer scientists say, weight to place on each of them.2017, Up and Atom, Machine Learning Explained in 5 Minutes:
  • “Logits” are the vectors of weights.2024, Laura Masbruch, Pasta Land:
13

Mathematics, Sciences, Topology The smallest cardinality of a base.

14

Media, Publishing, Typography The boldness of a font; the relative thickness of its strokes.

  • font weight
15

Arts, Visual art, Visual arts The relative thickness of a drawn rule or painted brushstroke, line weight.

16

Arts, Visual art, Visual arts The illusion of mass.

17

Arts, Visual art, Visual arts The thickness and opacity of paint.

18

The thickness of yarn.

  • If you'd like to use a different weight of yarn, just check the label for the recommended crochet hook size and use that.2011 August 23, Carmen Heffernan, “How to make colourful crocheted flowers”, in The Guardian:
  • The weight of the finished thread also varies with the spinner, although the general aim is laceweight singles for weaving.2026, Elise Young, “Yagaa: Reviving Sericulture in Southern Mexico”, in Spin Off, volume L, number 1, page 16:
19

Figuratively Pressure; burden.

  • the weight of care or business
  • The waight of this ſad time we muſt obey[…]c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], page 309, column 2:
1 more example
  • For the public all this weight he bears.1671, John Milton, “The Second Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC:
20

The resistance against which a machine acts, as opposed to the power which moves it.

21

Slang Shipments of (often illegal) drugs.

  • He was pushing weight.
  • The three of us were hanging out rapping in Hamilton projects with some niggahs Pimp had got tight with on Rikers Island. Them fools had done a push-in and took over some old lady's apartment, and they were in there cutting crack and mixing weight.2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 103:
22

Slang One pound of drugs, especially cannabis.

  • [I was] doing a weight [1 lb. at that time] a week, sometimes more, sometimes less.2002, Nicholas Dorn, Karim Murji, Nigel South, Traffickers: Drug Markets and Law Enforcement, page 5:
  • The ones the CIB should be looking out for, to her mind, were the officers who raided a flat, found a couple of weights of cannabis and stashed half of it before they made the collar. The cannabis would make its way back on to the street […]2009, Martina Cole, The Ladykiller:
23

Dated Money.

  • No matter how much money he makes, he is still a soldier, but he has the weight.1974, Martin R. Haskell, Lewis Yablonsky, Crime and Delinquency, page 96:
24

Government, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Martial arts, Military, Politics, Sports, War Weight class.

  • You’re no match for ’em. You ain’t up to their weight. It’s like little Black Strap standing up to Tom Spring,—the Black’s a pretty fighter but, Law bless you, his arm ain’t long enough to touch Tom,—and I tell you, you’re going it with fellers beyond your weight.1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
25

Government, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Martial arts, Military, Politics, Sports, War Used as part of compound words for weight class titles, e.g. heavyweight, flyweight.

Derived terms
110 termsabsolute weight, all-up weight, Aran weight, axle weight, axleweight, baby weight, balance weight, balanceweight, bantamweight, birth weight, biscuit weight, biweight, body weight, bodyweight, carcass weight, carry one's own weight, carry one's weight, carry weight, casting weight, coin weight, combining weight, counterweight, curb weight, dead weight, draw weight, dry weight, equal weight, equivalent weight, featherweight, flyweight, free weight, gain weight, give weight, gram-molecular weight, gross vehicle weight rating, gross weight, heavyweight, hit above one's weight, hit below one's weight, kerb weight, light-weight, lightweight, live weight, loom weight, lose weight, molecular-weight, must weight, neat weight, net weight, non-weight-bearing, open weights, overweight, paperweight, pseudoweight, pull one's own weight, pull one's weight, punch above one's weight, punch below one's weight, put on weight, sash weight, short weight, syllable weight, take the weight off, take the weight off one's feet, throw one's weight around, throw one's weight behind, throw-weight, topweight, triweight, underweight, weight bar, weight-bear, weight bear, weight-bearing, weight class, weight down, weight for age, weightful, weightfully, weightfulness, weight gain, weight gainer, weightless, weight-lift, weightlifter, weight lifter, weight lifting, weightlifting, weight loss, weight measure, weight off someone's mind, weight off someone's shoulders, weight of the world, weightometer, weight rack, weight room, weight-saving, weight stack, weight-train, weight training, weight-watcher, weight watcher, weight weenie, weighty, welter-weight, welterweight, worth one's weight in gold, worth one's weight in salt, yo-weight, yo-yo weight
Related terms
weigh
Coordinate terms
mass, inertial mass, gravitational mass

weight

verb

Etymology From Middle English weight, weiȝte, weght, wight, from Old English wiht, ġewiht (“weight”), from Proto-Germanic *wihtiz ("weight"; compare *weganą (“to move”)), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (“to move; pull; draw; drive”). Equivalent to weigh + -t (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Scots wecht, weicht (“weight”), Saterland Frisian Wächte (“scale”), Gewicht (“weight”), West Frisian gewicht (“weight”), Dutch gewicht (“weight”), German Low German Wicht, Gewicht (“weight”), German Wucht (“massiveness, force”), Gewicht (“weight”).

7 senses
  1. 1To add weight to something; to make something heavier.
  2. 2To load (fabrics) with barite, etc. to increase the weight.
  3. 3To load, burden or oppress someone.
  4. 4To assign weights to individual statistics.
  5. 5To bias something; to slant.
  6. 6To handicap a horse with a specified weight.
  7. 7To give a certain amount of force to a throw, kick, hit, etc.
1

To add weight to something; to make something heavier.

2

Business, Dyeing, Manufacturing, Textiles To load (fabrics) with barite, etc. to increase the weight.

3

To load, burden or oppress someone.

4

Mathematics, Sciences To assign weights to individual statistics.

5

To bias something; to slant.

  • The criteria governing the choice of candidate were heavily weighted in his favor.
  • The U.K. economy is heavily weighted towards the service sector and the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a 10% fall in gross domestic product in the second quarter, according to economists at Jefferies.2020 March 19, Marcus Ashworth, “Cheap Sterling Has Reasons to Be Cheaper”, in The Washington Post:
6

Hobbies, Horse racing, Horseracing, Horses, Lifestyle, Pets, Racing, Sports To handicap a horse with a specified weight.

7

Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports To give a certain amount of force to a throw, kick, hit, etc.

  • With good peripheral vision he spots his teammate, Ray Evans, lurking in the scoring zone and sweeps a perfectly weighted pass to him.2008, Tom Valenta, Remember Me, Mrs V?: Caring for My Wife: Her Alzheimer's and Others' Stories, ReadHowYouWant:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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