(1)(身体)虚弱的(lacking in physical strength or power)：be (feel)～after an operation/a long illness/an attack of fever 手术/长期生病/发烧后身体(感到)虚弱;be(feel)～from hunger/with exertions 饿得无力/劳累得体虚; (illness) make sb～(病)使某人体弱; too～to walk far 体弱难以走得太远; be～in body but not in mind 体弱心不老; The old man was～and ill. 这位老人体弱多病。Her health was too～. 她的身体太虚弱了。My legs felt～/I felt～in the legs.我的腿软弱无力。as～as water/cat (fig) 身体虚弱;意志薄弱;〖同〗faint，weakened;〖反〗 strong;

(2)脆弱的，不坚固的 (likely to break，collapse or fail; not strong enough)： a～barrier/fort/fortification/foundation/bridge 不坚固的屏障/堡垒/要塞/地基/桥; a～defence/link in a chain/link in an electrical system 脆弱的防御工事/易断的锁链/薄弱的电力系统中继; a table with～legs 一张腿不稳的桌子; a～army/team/nation 无战斗力的部队/弱队/弱国; in a～position 处于不利地位; (small farmer) be economically～by himself (小农)个体经济实力弱;The branches are too～to support the boy's weight. 树枝太不结实，支撑不住男孩的身体重量。The shelves are too～to hold the goods. 架子太不结实，承受不住这些货物。The walls are too～to hold up the roof. 墙太不坚固，无法支撑房顶。These pit props are～for the load. 这些矿用支架不结实，承受不住其负载。The supporters are～for the weight. 支柱不结实，无法承重。〖同〗breakable，delicate;〖反〗strong，powerful，strengthened;

(3)软弱的(not strong enough in nature)： a man of～character 意志薄弱的人; be～by nature 生性软弱; a～law/measure 无力的法律/措施; a～creature 懦弱的人; a～leader/president/government/monarch 软弱的领导/总统/政府/君主;～leadership 无能的领导; He took a～stand on the issue. 他在这个问题上立场不坚定。be outwardly strong but inwardly～外强中干; He is not～when it comes to facing a danger. 面对危险，他一点儿也不怯懦。Everyone has some～spots. 每个人都有弱点。She is too～to disagree with others/to defend her rights/to give up her bad habit. 她太软弱了，不敢对别人说不/不能保护自己的权益/不能改掉坏毛病。the～er sex 女性;〖同〗powerless，soft;〖反〗strong，tough，powerful，firm;

(4)(经济)不景气的，疲软的(not financially successful or good)： a～currency/economy 疲软的货币/不景气的经济; a～market for agriculture stocks 农业股票市场疲软;

(5)功能欠缺的(not functioning properly)：have a～heart/stomach/mind/pulse 心脏衰弱/胃功能弱/头脑愚笨/脉搏微弱;He has～eyes. 他视力不好。～sight 弱视;be～in sight/hearing 视力/听力差;

(6)缺乏说服力的(not powerful，effective or convincing)：He presented～answers/arguments/evidence. 他作出的回答/提出的论点/提供的证据缺乏说服力。the～points of an argument 论据上的弱点;a～alibi/plot 没有说服力的托词/无感染力的剧情; Her story sounded～even to her own ears. 她的陈述连自己听起来也觉得缺乏说服力。〖同〗unconvincing;〖反〗 convincing，forceful，powerful，sound;

(7)微弱的(faint or dim)：～sunlight 昏暗的阳光; a～light/signal/sound 微弱的光线/信号/声音; manage a～smile 强装出微笑; speak in a very～voice 用微弱的声音说; The light is too～to read by. 光太弱了，不能藉以读书。〖同〗dim，faint;〖反〗strong，powerful，beaming，brilliant;

(8)稀释的，多水的(having or containing too much water than normal)：～tea/soup 淡茶/稀汤; a～solution of acid 稀酸溶液; Do you wish your coffee～or strong? 你想要淡咖啡还是浓咖啡? Please don't make my coffee too～. 请不要把我的咖啡冲得太淡。〖同〗watery，thin;

(9)没有能力的，达不到标准的(not competent or not up to the high standard) [A(at/in/on)][作 pred]：be～at handwork 手工做不好;I'm～at/in mathematics. (My mathematics is～.) 我的数学不好。These people are not～in mind.这些人头脑灵活。～in the head 笨的，傻的;be～in intelligence/pronunciation /science /spelling /practical matters 在智力/发音/理科/拼写/实际做事方面有欠缺; be～on names/the classical music 记不住人名字/不懂古典音乐; His essay/book/review was～on the period of the social changes.他的论文/书/评论对社会变革期间的论述水准不高。be～of brain/understanding 头脑迟钝/理解力差;〖同〗incompetent，incapable;〖反〗competent，capable，able;

weak at the knees 两腿发软，几乎站不住(infml)： The dead body made me go all～at the knees. 那死尸吓得我两腿发软。

in a weak moment 易被诱惑或说服的时刻： In a～moment，I gave up my arguments. 一时心软，我放弃了争辩。

the weak n 弱者;身体虚弱的人;贫穷者(pl，接pl动词)：The～are bullied by the strong at school. 弱小的学生在学校受到强壮学生的欺负。

→′weaken v 使弱;变弱;犹豫不决;͵weak-′headed adj 愚笨的，迟钝的;͵weak-′hearted adj 怯懦的;心肠软的;͵weak-′kneed adj 易屈服的;优柔寡断的;′weakling n 虚(软)弱的(人);′weakly adj & adv 虚弱的(地);软弱的(地);͵weak-′minded adj 低能的;懦弱的;不果断的;͵weak-′mindedly adv 迟钝地，愚笨地;′weakness n 软(虚)弱，优柔寡断;

【辨异】weak 与 weakly 和 feeble 均可以指人体虚弱，没有力量。weak 是常用字，形容由于年幼、年老或生病人身体虚弱没有充分的精力和体力，如：She has weak legs.(她的腿虚弱无力。)weakly(虚弱的)形容人久病体虚，或身体素质不强壮，如： a weakly child(一个不壮实的孩子); feeble(衰弱的，无效的)与 weak 相当，但有可怜等含义，如： She is too feeble to walk far.(她虚弱得走不远。)