feeble

• adj. 微弱的，无力的；虚弱的；薄弱的

来自拉丁语flebilis的拼写异化词，呻吟，哭叫，词源同bleat, blare.

1. pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness;

"a feeble excuse"

"a lame argument"

2. lacking strength or vigor;

"damning with faint praise"

"faint resistance"

"feeble efforts"

"a feeble voice"

3. lacking physical strength or vitality;

"a feeble old woman"

"her body looked sapless"

4. lacking strength;

"a weak, nerveless fool, devoid of energy and promptitude"- Nathaniel Hawthorne

feeble

feeble: [12] Semantically, feeble was originally a close relative of deplorable and lamentable, but over the centuries it has diverged markedly from them. Its ultimate source was Latin flēbilis, a derivative of the verb flēre ‘weep’. In classical times this meant literally ‘worthy of being cried over, lamentable’, but later it came to signify ‘weak’. It passed in this sense into Old French as fleible, which subsequently became feible or feble (source of English feeble), and later still foible (whence English foible [17]) and faible (the modern French form).
=> foible

feeble (adj.)

late 12c., "lacking strength or vigor" (physical, moral, or intellectual), from Old French feble "weak, feeble" (12c., Modern French faible), dissimilated from Latin flebilis "lamentable," literally "that is to be wept over," from flere "weep, cry, shed tears, lament," from PIE *bhle- "to howl" (see bleat (v.)). The first -l- was lost in Old French. The noun meaning "feeble person" is recorded from mid-14c.

weak, feeble, frail, fragile

这些形容词均有"虚弱的，乏力的"之意。

weak： 普通用词，指缺乏应有的力量，可用于身体、意志或精神。

feeble： 指身体衰弱无力，精力几乎耗尽，含令人怜悯的意味。

frail： 多指因经常生病而身体纤弱。

fragile可与frail换用，但语气强，侧重脆弱，指人容易生病，指物容易破碎。

a feeble attempt to explain

无力的试图解释

牛津词典

Don't be so feeble! Tell her you don't want to go.

别那么软弱了！告诉她你不想去。

牛津词典

a feeble old man

衰弱的老人

牛津词典

The heartbeat was feeble and irregular.

心搏无力，心律不齐。

牛津词典

a feeble argument/excuse/joke

无力的证据；站不住脚的借口；干巴巴的笑话

牛津词典

He told them he was old and feeble and was not able to walk so far...

他告诉他们，他年老体弱，不能走那么远。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

the feeble light of a tin lamp.

锡灯微弱的光线

柯林斯高阶英语词典

He said that the Government had been feeble.

他说政府很懦弱。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

...some rather feeble traditionalists.

一些相当软弱的传统主义者

柯林斯高阶英语词典

This is a particularly feeble argument.

这个论点尤其站不住脚。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

I was surprised by how old and feeble he had become.

他变得这样老态龙钟,使我大吃一惊.

辞典例句

The concept of strangeness constitutes more than a feeble attempt.

奇异数这个概念不只是一种巧妙的尝试.

辞典例句

Next to America, all this looks pretty feeble.

步美国后尘, 其实是金玉其外,败絮其中.

期刊摘选

For a long time she refused to see anyone, protesting her feeble health.

她很长时间拒绝见人, 借口身体欠佳.

辞典例句

Grandmother has been getting feeble lately.

近来祖母愈益衰弱了.

期刊摘选

The reactionaries are fierce in appearance but feeble in reality.

反动派看起来很强大,实际上十分虚弱.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

There was a feeble lamp at no great distance.

在不远的去处有一个微弱的灯光.

辞典例句

She made a feeble effort to get to school on time.

她努力想按时赶到学校,但未成功.

《简明英汉词典》

Great souls have wills; feeble ones have only wishes.

伟大的灵魂拥有意志, 而软弱的灵魂只有愿望.

期刊摘选

Renewing then my courage, and gathering my feeble remains of strength, I pushed on.

于是我再次鼓起勇气, 聚起我剩下的一点微弱的力量, 继续往前走.

辞典例句

An old or sick person is often feeble.

老人或病人往往很虚弱.

《简明英汉词典》

Ivan scores a feeble one.

伊凡得了一个糟糕的分数.

期刊摘选

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

赛35:3你们要使软弱的手坚壮、无力的膝稳固.

期刊摘选

There at began a feeble scratching outside.

接着,外面开始了一个轻微的刮擦声.

期刊摘选

The feeble applause disheartened us.

微弱的掌声叫我们泄气.

《简明英汉词典》

Make strong the feeble hands, give support to the shaking knees.

你们要使软弱的手坚壮, 无力的膝稳固.

期刊摘选