weigh

¹

[ wey ]

verb (used with object)

1. to determine or ascertain the force that gravitation exerts upon (a person or thing) by use of a balance, scale, or other mechanical device:

   to weigh oneself; to weigh potatoes; to weigh gases.

2. to hold up or balance, as in the hand, in order to estimate the weight.
3. to measure, separate, or apportion (a certain quantity of something) according to weight (usually followed by out ):

   to weigh out five pounds of sugar.

4. to make heavy; increase the weight or bulk of; weight:

   We weighed the drapes to make them hang properly.

5. to evaluate in the mind; consider carefully in order to reach an opinion, decision, or choice:

   to weigh the facts; to weigh a proposal.

   Synonyms: contemplate, ponder

6. Archaic. to raise, lift, or hoist (something).
7. Obsolete. to think important; esteem.

verb (used without object)

1. to have weight or a specified amount of weight:

   to weigh less; to weigh a ton.

2. to have importance, moment, or consequence:

   Your recommendation weighs heavily in his favor.

3. to bear down as a weight or burden (usually followed by on or upon ):

   Responsibility weighed upon her.

4. to consider carefully or judicially:

   to weigh well before deciding.

5. (of a ship) to raise the anchor and get under way:

   The ship weighed early and escaped in the fog.

verb phrase

1. 1. to cause to become bowed under a weight:

      snow and ice weighing down the trees.

   2. to lower the spirits of; burden; depress:

      This predicament weighs me down.

2. 1. (of a boxer or wrestler) to be weighed by a medical examiner on the day of a bout.
   2. to be of the weight determined by such a weighing:

      He weighed in at 170 pounds.

   3. (of a jockey) to be weighed with the saddle and weights after a race.
   4. Informal. to offer an opinion, advice, support, etc., especially in a forceful or authoritative way:

      The chairman weighed in with an idea for the fundraiser.

3. Horse Racing. (of a jockey)
   1. to be weighed with the saddle and weights before a race.
   2. to be of the weight determined by such a weighing.

weigh

²

[ wey ]

weigh

¹

/ weɪ /

noun

1. under weigh
   a variant spelling of under way

weigh

²

/ weɪ /

verb

1. tr to measure the weight of
2. intr to have weight or be heavy

   she weighs more than her sister

3. troften foll byout to apportion according to weight
4. tr to consider carefully

   to weigh the facts of a case

5. intr to be influential

   his words weighed little with the jury

6. introften foll byon to be oppressive or burdensome (to)
7. obsolete.
   to regard or esteem
8. weigh anchor
   to raise a vessel's anchor or (of a vessel) to have its anchor raised preparatory to departure

Derived Forms

• ˈweigher, noun
• ˈweighable, adjective

Other Words From

• weigha·ble adjective
• weigher noun
• un·weigha·ble adjective
• un·weighing adjective
• well-weighed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of weigh¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English weien, wein, weighen, Old English wegan “to carry, weigh”; cognate with Dutch wegen, German wägen, Old Norse vega; akin to Latin vehere “to carry, convey”

Origin of weigh²

First recorded in 1775–85; spelling variant of way ¹ by association with weigh anchor

Word History and Origins

Origin of weigh¹

C18: variation due to the influence of phrases such as to weigh anchor

Origin of weigh²

Old English wegan; related to Old Frisian wega, Old Norse vega, Gothic gawigan, German wiegen

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. under weigh, Nautical. in motion; under way.
2. weigh anchor, Nautical. to heave up a ship's anchor in preparation for getting under way.
3. weigh one's words. word ( def 30 ).

Synonym Study

See study.

Example Sentences

That is a very big “if”, but it is weighing on the minds of energy suppliers.

From BBC

At a school in Regensburg, students “have regular competitions where each class’s food waste is weighed weekly and the class who has the least food waste is the winner.”

From Salon

This narrative continues to weigh on First Nation tribes’ ability to lay claim to land rights in Canadian courts.

From Science Magazine

She is described as being 5 feet 10 and weighing 140 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes.

From Los Angeles Times

A member of Trump’s first administration who publicly denounced him is applying for foreign citizenship and weighing whether to watch and wait or leave the country before the Jan. 20 inauguration.

From Salon

Related Words

• analyze
• balance
• estimate
• evaluate
• examine
• ponder