weigh

[ wey ]

/ weɪ /

See synonyms for: weigh / weighing / weighable on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to determine or ascertain the force that gravitation exerts upon (a person or thing) by use of a balance, scale, or other mechanical device: to weigh oneself; to weigh potatoes; to weigh gases.

to hold up or balance, as in the hand, in order to estimate the weight.

to measure, separate, or apportion (a certain quantity of something) according to weight (usually followed by out): to weigh out five pounds of sugar.

to make heavy; increase the weight or bulk of; weight: We weighed the drapes to make them hang properly.

to evaluate in the mind; consider carefully in order to reach an opinion, decision, or choice: to weigh the facts; to weigh a proposal.

Archaic. to raise, lift, or hoist (something).

Obsolete. to think important; esteem.

verb (used without object)

to have weight or a specified amount of weight: to weigh less; to weigh a ton.

to have importance, moment, or consequence: Your recommendation weighs heavily in his favor.

to bear down as a weight or burden (usually followed by on or upon): Responsibility weighed upon her.

to consider carefully or judicially: to weigh well before deciding.

(of a ship) to raise the anchor and get under way: The ship weighed early and escaped in the fog.

Verb Phrases

weigh down,

to cause to become bowed under a weight: snow and ice weighing down the trees.
to lower the spirits of; burden; depress: This predicament weighs me down.

weigh in,

(of a boxer or wrestler) to be weighed by a medical examiner on the day of a bout.
to be of the weight determined by such a weighing: He weighed in at 170 pounds.
(of a jockey) to be weighed with the saddle and weights after a race.
Informal. to offer an opinion, advice, support, etc., especially in a forceful or authoritative way: The chairman weighed in with an idea for the fundraiser.

weigh out, Horse Racing. (of a jockey)

to be weighed with the saddle and weights before a race.
to be of the weight determined by such a weighing.

SYNONYMS FOR weigh

5 ponder, contemplate.

See synonyms for weigh on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

In our third teacher-created PSAT practice test there are new and unique vocabulary terms you may have never heard of! Can you guess what they mean?

Question 1 of 10

seclusion

a false belief or opinion.

the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.

the state of being isolated, kept apart, or withdrawn into solitude.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for weigh

weigh anchor, Nautical. to heave up a ship's anchor in preparation for getting under way.

weigh one's words. word (def. 29).

Origin of weigh

First recorded before 900; Middle English weghen, Old English wegan “to carry, weigh”; cognate with Dutch wegen, German wägen, Old Norse vega; akin to Latin vehere

synonym study for weigh

5. See study.

OTHER WORDS FROM weigh

weigh·a·ble, adjectiveweigher, nounun·weigh·a·ble, adjectiveun·weigh·ing, adjective

well-weighed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH weigh

way, weigh

Definition for weigh (2 of 2)

weigh²

[ wey ]

/ weɪ /

Idioms

under weigh, Nautical. in motion; under way.

Origin of weigh

1775–85; spelling variant of way¹ by association with weigh anchor

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for weigh

Put a small plate over the cheese in the strainer and then a can or another object atop the plate to weigh it down.
Ease into Winter with Backcountry-Approved Comfort Food|Christina Bernstein|November 12, 2020|Outside Online
As he weighed his options, Cornish didn’t rule out any location.
Maryland basketball signs a trio of four-star players, including two with Baltimore roots|Emily Giambalvo|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
Hinze, the Encinitas councilwoman, similarly said that she weighed the possibility of continued harassment when deciding whether to seek re-election, but ultimately felt a responsibility to run.
Women Politicians Across the County Say They’ve Faced Harassment, Threats|Kayla Jimenez|November 9, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Every year, some states6 allow citizens to bypass their elected representatives and weigh in directly on an issue — bringing policy to the forefront of the campaign in a way it often is not in candidate elections.
The 21 Ballot Measures We’re Watching This Election|Nathaniel Rakich (nathaniel.rakich@fivethirtyeight.com)|October 31, 2020|FiveThirtyEight

To weigh in on the categories “Ken Jennings and Kylie Jenner” and “Alex Tribeca,” the Empress recruited Ken Jennings himself!
Style Invitational Week 1408: Re-Organization — tweak the name of a charity|Pat Myers|October 29, 2020|Washington Post
Too much care could not be taken in laying the foundation for his final proposal to the weigher.
Uncle Sam Detective|William Atherton Du Puy
In practice the second weigher is placed just before the first break.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 5|Various
O'Toole was a man of fifty, and had been a weigher for eleven years.
Uncle Sam Detective|William Atherton Du Puy
This could afterward be compared with the figures of the weigher.
Uncle Sam Detective|William Atherton Du Puy
Occasionally a mess of milk will get run into the vat without weighing, by the weigher forgetting to close the gate or faucet.
Hints on cheese-making|Thomas Day Curtis

British Dictionary definitions for weigh (1 of 2)

weigh¹

/ (weɪ) /

verb

(tr) to measure the weight of

(intr) to have weight or be heavyshe weighs more than her sister

(tr often foll by out) to apportion according to weight

(tr) to consider carefullyto weigh the facts of a case

(intr) to be influentialhis words weighed little with the jury

(intr often foll by on) to be oppressive or burdensome (to)

obsolete to regard or esteem

weigh anchor to raise a vessel's anchor or (of a vessel) to have its anchor raised preparatory to departure

Derived forms of weigh

weighable, adjectiveweigher, noun

Word Origin for weigh

Old English wegan; related to Old Frisian wega, Old Norse vega, Gothic gawigan, German wiegen

British Dictionary definitions for weigh (2 of 2)

weigh²

/ (weɪ) /

noun

under weigh a variant spelling of under way

Word Origin for weigh

C18: variation due to the influence of phrases such as to weigh anchor

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

MEANINGS

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WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

weigh

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Verb Phrases

SYNONYMS FOR weigh

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Idioms for weigh

Origin of weigh

synonym study for weigh

OTHER WORDS FROM weigh

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH weigh

Definition for weigh (2 of 2)

Idioms

Origin of weigh

Example sentences from the Web for weigh

British Dictionary definitions for weigh (1 of 2)

verb

Derived forms of weigh

Word Origin for weigh

British Dictionary definitions for weigh (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for weigh

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

weigh

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Verb Phrases

SYNONYMS FOR weigh

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Idioms for weigh

Origin of weigh

synonym study for weigh

OTHER WORDS FROM weigh

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH weigh

Definition for weigh (2 of 2)

Idioms

Origin of weigh

Words related to weigh

Example sentences from the Web for weigh

British Dictionary definitions for weigh (1 of 2)

verb

Derived forms of weigh

Word Origin for weigh

British Dictionary definitions for weigh (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for weigh