faint
/feint/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Lacking strength, vigor, or clarity; weak: Describes something barely perceptible, dim, or lacking in intensity, force, or distinctness.
- Feeling weak, dizzy, and close to losing consciousness: Describes a physical state of light-headedness or near-syncope.
- Lacking conviction or courage; timid: Describes an action or attitude that is half-hearted or not bold.
Noun:
- A temporary loss of consciousness; a swoon: A sudden state of unconsciousness typically caused by insufficient blood flow to the brain.
Verb:
- To lose consciousness temporarily; to swoon: To pass out or black out for a short period.
Examples of Usage
Adjective:
- The writing on the old letter was faint and hard to read.
- After standing in the sun for hours, she felt faint.
- He made only a faint attempt to apologize.
Noun:
- The emotional news caused her to fall into a faint.
Verb:
- Several soldiers fainted from the heat during the parade.
Advanced Usage
"Haven't the faintest idea": To have no idea at all; to be completely unaware.
- I haven't the faintest idea where she went.
"Faint heart": A timid or cowardly disposition.
- Faint heart ne'er won fair lady. (Proverb meaning timidity will not achieve one's desires.)
"Damning with faint praise": To praise so weakly or unenthusiastically that it implies criticism.
- Saying the meal was "edible" is damning it with faint praise.
Variants and Related Words
Faintly (adverb): In a faint manner; weakly or indistinctly.
- She smiled faintly.
Faintness (noun): The quality or state of being faint.
- A feeling of faintness came over him.
Synonyms
- Adjective: Dim, weak, feeble, vague, indistinct, pale, lightheaded, dizzy.
- Noun: Swoon, blackout, syncope.
- Verb: Swoon, black out, pass out, collapse.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions
- Faint away (archaic/literary): To faint.
- In the old novel, the heroine would often faint away at shocking news.
Related Idioms
- Not have the faintest (notion/idea): To have absolutely no knowledge or understanding.
- I don't have the faintest notion how to fix this engine.
Adjective
- lacking conviction or boldness or courage
- faint heart ne'er won fair lady
- indistinctly understood or felt or perceived
- a faint clue to the origin of the mystery
- haven't the faintest idea
- 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
- lacking strength or vigor
- damning with faint praise
- faint resistance
- feeble efforts
- a feeble voice
- 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
- 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
Noun
- a spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood to the brain
Verb
- pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain