weight

Definitions


[weɪt], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a body's relative mass or the quantity of matter contained by it, giving rise to a downward force; the heaviness of a person or thing
(e.g: he was at least fifteen stone in weight)

- a piece of metal known to weigh a definite amount and used on scales to determine how heavy an object or quantity of a substance is
(e.g: the herbalist spooned the powder on to scales with tiny brass weights)

- the ability of someone or something to influence decisions or actions
(e.g: a recommendation by the committee will carry great weight)

- the surface density of cloth, used as a measure of its quality


Phrases:
- be a weight off one's mind
- be worth one's weight in gold
- lose weight
- put on weight
- the weight of the world
- throw one's weight around
- throw one's weight behind

Origin:
Old English (ge)wiht, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wicht and German Gewicht. The form of the word has been influenced by weigh


[weɪt], (Verb)

Definitions:
- hold (something) down by placing a heavy object on top of it
(e.g: a mug half filled with coffee weighted down a stack of papers)

- attribute importance or value to
(e.g: speaking, reading, and writing should be weighted equally in the assessment)

- assign a handicap weight to (a horse)

- treat (a fabric) with a mineral to make it seem thicker and heavier


Phrases:
- be a weight off one's mind
- be worth one's weight in gold
- lose weight
- put on weight
- the weight of the world
- throw one's weight around
- throw one's weight behind

Origin:
Old English (ge)wiht, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wicht and German Gewicht. The form of the word has been influenced by weigh




definition by Oxford Dictionaries