[syn: faint, fainthearted, timid, faint-hearted]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Faint \Faint\, n.
The act of fainting, or the state of one who has fainted; a
swoon. [R.] See Fainting, n.
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The saint,
Who propped the Virgin in her faint. --Sir W.
Scott.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Faint \Faint\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fainted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Fainting.]
1. To become weak or wanting in vigor; to grow feeble; to
lose strength and color, and the control of the bodily or
mental functions; to swoon; -- sometimes with away. See
Fainting, n.
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Hearing the honor intended her, she fainted away.
--Guardian.
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If I send them away fasting . . . they will faint by
the way. --Mark viii.
8.
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2. To sink into dejection; to lose courage or spirit; to
become depressed or despondent.
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If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength
is small. --Prov. xxiv.
10.
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3. To decay; to disappear; to vanish.
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Gilded clouds, while we gaze upon them, faint before
the eye. --Pope.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Faint \Faint\ (f[=a]nt), a. [Compar. Fainter (-[~e]r); superl.
Faintest.] [OE. feint, faint, false, faint, F. feint, p. p.
of feindre to feign, suppose, hesitate. See Feign, and cf.
Feint.]
1. Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to swoon; as,
faint with fatigue, hunger, or thirst.
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2. Wanting in courage, spirit, or energy; timorous; cowardly;
dejected; depressed; as, "Faint heart ne'er won fair
lady." --Old Proverb.
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3. Lacking distinctness; hardly perceptible; striking the
senses feebly; not bright, or loud, or sharp, or forcible;
weak; as, a faint color, or sound.
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4. Performed, done, or acted, in a weak or feeble manner; not
exhibiting vigor, strength, or energy; slight; as, faint
efforts; faint resistance.
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The faint prosecution of the war. --Sir J.
Davies.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Faint \Faint\, v. t.
To cause to faint or become dispirited; to depress; to
weaken. [Obs.]
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It faints me to think what follows. --Shak.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
faint
adj 1: deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking
clarity or brightness or loudness etc; "a faint outline";
"the wan sun cast faint shadows"; "the faint light of a
distant candle"; "weak colors"; "a faint hissing sound";
"a faint aroma"; "a weak pulse" [syn: faint, weak]
2: lacking clarity or distinctness; "a dim figure in the
distance"; "only a faint recollection"; "shadowy figures in
the gloom"; "saw a vague outline of a building through the
fog"; "a few wispy memories of childhood" [syn: dim,
faint, shadowy, vague, wispy]
3: lacking strength or vigor; "damning with faint praise";
"faint resistance"; "feeble efforts"; "a feeble voice" [syn:
faint, feeble]
4: weak and likely to lose consciousness; "suddenly felt faint
from the pain"; "was sick and faint from hunger"; "felt light
in the head"; "a swooning fit"; "light-headed with wine";
"light-headed from lack of sleep" [syn: faint, light,
swooning, light-headed, lightheaded]
5: indistinctly understood or felt or perceived; "a faint clue
to the origin of the mystery"; "haven't the faintest idea"
6: lacking conviction or boldness or courage; "faint heart ne'er
won fair lady" [syn: faint, fainthearted, timid,
faint-hearted]
n 1: a spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient
blood to the brain [syn: faint, swoon, syncope,
deliquium]
v 1: pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due
to a loss of blood supply to the brain [syn: faint,
conk, swoon, pass out]