- weaken */*/
- UK [ˈwiːkən] / US [ˈwɪkən]
verb
Word forms "weaken":
present tense I/you/we/they weaken he/she/it weakens present participle weakening past tense weakened past participle weakened1)a) [intransitive/transitive] to make someone physically less strong and healthy, or to become less strong and healthyStress can weaken the immune system.
She began to weaken after running for 8 miles.
b) to make a structure more likely to break, or to become more likely to breakMany buildings had already been weakened by last year's storms.
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Collocations:
Adverbs frequently used with weaken
▪ considerably, fatally, further, seriously, severely2) [intransitive/transitive] to make someone or something less powerful or important, or to become less powerful or importantA peace deal between Israel and Lebanon would have weakened Syria's influence in the region.
3)a) [transitive] to make someone less determined or less certainweaken someone's resolve/morale/resistance/spirit:If your facts are wrong, that's going to weaken your case.
No amount of violence will weaken our resolve.
b) [intransitive] if someone weakens about an opinion or a decision, they become less certain about itIn the end I weakened and agreed to go.
4) [intransitive] if prices weaken, they fall
English dictionary. 2014.