faint

[ feynt ]

adjective

, faint·er, faint·est.

1. lacking brightness, vividness, clearness, loudness, strength, etc.:

   a faint light;

   a faint color;

   a faint sound.

   Synonyms: dull, dim, ill-defined, indistinct

2. feeble or slight:

   faint resistance;

   faint praise;

   a faint resemblance.

   Synonyms: weak, irresolute

3. feeling weak, dizzy, or exhausted; about to lose consciousness:

   faint with hunger.

   Synonyms: languid

4. lacking courage; cowardly; timorous:

   Faint heart never won fair maid.

   Synonyms: dastardly, timid, fearful, pusillanimous

5. Law. unfounded:

   a faint action.

verb (used without object)

1. to lose consciousness temporarily.
2. to lose brightness.
3. Archaic. to grow weak; lose spirit or courage.

noun

1. a temporary loss of consciousness resulting from a decreased flow of blood to the brain; a swoon:

   to fall into a faint.

faint

/ feɪnt /

adjective

1. lacking clarity, brightness, volume, etc

   a faint noise

2. lacking conviction or force; weak

   faint praise

3. feeling dizzy or weak as if about to lose consciousness
4. without boldness or courage; timid (esp in the combination faint-hearted )
5. not the faintest or not the faintest idea or not the faintest notion
   no idea whatsoever

   I haven't the faintest

verb

1. to lose consciousness, esp momentarily, as through weakness
2. archaic.
   to fail or become weak, esp in hope or courage

noun

1. a sudden spontaneous loss of consciousness, usually momentary, caused by an insufficient supply of blood to the brain Technical namesyncope

Derived Forms

• ˈfaintly, adverb
• ˈfaintness, noun
• ˈfaintishness, noun
• ˈfaintish, adjective
• ˈfaintingly, adverb
• ˈfainter, noun

Other Words From

• fainter noun
• fainting·ly adverb
• faintish adjective
• faintish·ness noun
• faintly adverb
• faintness noun
• over·faint adjective
• over·faintly adverb
• over·faintness noun
• un·fainting adjective
• un·faintly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of faint¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French: literally, “feigned,” past participle of faindre, feindre “to feign”; feign

Word History and Origins

Origin of faint¹

C13: from Old French, from faindre to be idle

Idioms and Phrases

see damn with faint praise .

Example Sentences

Her voice was raspy and after answering questions she paused, as if about to faint.

From The Daily Beast

I saw a faint, sweet glimmer of the ferocious protector he once was.

From The Daily Beast

But this time I can plainly hear, through the rush of words, the faint rattle of hysteria that bespeaks a screw loose somewhere.

From The Daily Beast

After about an hour, he hears a faint tapping sound from inside the freezer and opens the door.

From The Daily Beast

A fine book all around, but not a book for the faint of heart.

From The Daily Beast

The faint candle-light glimmered on a ponderous gilded cornice, which had also sustained violence.

From Project Gutenberg

It was difficult to describe—a little sterner, a little wilder, a faint emphasis of the barbaric peering through it.

From Project Gutenberg

He was looking at me with eyebrows arched, curiously, and there was a faint suggestion of hostility in the set of his mouth.

From Project Gutenberg

The cytoplasm of lymphocytes is generally robin's-egg blue; that of the large mononuclears may have a faint bluish tinge.

From Project Gutenberg

Wright's stain gives such cells a faint bluish tinge when the condition is mild, and a rather deep blue when severe.

From Project Gutenberg